A Mother's Duties
by Sasha Snape
Summary: In the past year, Brooke has adopted 15 year old Sam and 6 year old Chelsea. She is now raising them with the help of Lucas, Peyton, Haley, Nathan, and Karen. I do not own OTH or any of its characters. Adopted from samwannabe. Will contain spanking!
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! This fic was actually adopted from samwannabe. It is going to focus on Brooke raising her two adopted daughters, Sam and Chelsea, both of whom have been adopted within the past year. This will be a very family oriented fic, with a lot of appearances by Lucas, Peyton, Haley, Nathan, Jamie, Karen, and Lily. This fic will contain spanking, so please do not read if this offends you. Any suggestions or requests are welcome, but flames will not be accepted. I hope you enjoy!**

If the majority of the people who had attended Tree Hill High during the reign of Brooke Davis could have seen her now, they probably would have passed out at the sight of her. The former Student Council President, Prom Queen, Cheerleading Captain, and Boy Magnet was currently up to her elbows in spaghetti sauce as she cooked dinner for her two daughters. Her two beautiful and, more often than not, mischievous and naughty daughters.

"Chelsea Lynn, you had better stop it with the pouting," Brooke said, glancing over her shoulder at her six year old, who was kicking her feet against her time-out chair. "I told you that you were going into time-out if you kept talking back to me."

A snarky remark was forming on Chelsea's lips when a crash came from the living room. Brooke whirled around and saw Sam lying on the floor next to a broken lamp and her skateboard.

"Samantha Nicole!" Brooke shouted furiously. "I have told you a million times not to ride your skateboard in the house, young lady!" With that, Brooke stomped over to her eldest and yanked her to her feet.

"Mom, it was an-OW!" Sam yelped, as Brooke leaned her against her hip and gave her half a dozen firm swats.

"It was not an accident, Samantha," Brooke ground out, releasing the now teary-eyed teen. "You deliberately disobeyed me by riding your skateboard in the house. And Chelsea, if you don't stop giggling and get your nose back in that corner you can have a sore bottom too," she warned, not even bothering to turn around. Chelsea gave a melodramatic sigh, while her older sister bit her lip and tried to avoid rubbing her sore butt.

Brooke sighed before wrapping her arms around Sam in a gentle hug. She hated having to punish either of the girls, but Sam had spent most of her life without a parent to love and discipline her, and Brooke had spent the majority of the past year having to find a steady balance between the two.

"Go wash up, and then come set the table," Brooke said softly, releasing the girl from her embrace. "I'll clean this mess up."

"Yes, ma'am," Sam said, wiping her eyes and heading off to follow her mother's instructions.

Brooke had just lain down in bed when a timid knock at her door caused her to sit back up. "Come in," she said with a smile, knowing full well who it was.

As soon as the words escaped her mouth, Chelsea ran into the room and jumped on the bed with her mom. She quickly found her spot right by Brooke's side and snuggled into her. This had turned into a regular occurrence over the last couple weeks since Sam had let Chelsea watch a scary movie with her, much to Brooke's displeasure. Brooke knew she needed to get Chelsea back into the habit of staying in her own bed, but the truth was that Brooke kind of liked it. She began rubbing the small girl's back in circles as Chelsea drifted off to sleep. Brooke was ready to join her, but she was surprised when Sam cracked her bedroom door open and peeked her head in.

"Mom?" Sam said quietly. "Is it okay if I sleep with you?"

Brooke smiled and patted the bed next to her. "It's always okay, Sam," she said. "What's up?"

"I feel kind of bad for earlier," Sam said, snuggling into her mom's side. "And I thought to make it up to you; I could watch Chelsea tomorrow night so you can go out with Aunt Peyton and Aunt Haley. I know you're always so busy with us that you never get to see them for fun anymore."

Brooke raised her eyebrow. "You know that I don't regret a single second that I spend with you or your sister," she said, giving Sam's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "But since you're offering, it would be nice to catch up with the girls. Are you sure you two will be alright on your own?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "Of course we will, Mom. I can totally handle the brat," she said with a smirk.

"Do not call your sister names, young lady," Brooke admonished. "But I do appreciate the offer, and I will be taking you up on it. You know I love you, right?

"I love you, too, Mom," Sam said, giving her mom a smile. If only Brooke knew exactly what her eldest's motivation behind her sudden generosity was…


	2. Chapter 2

The following evening, Sam paced anxiously outside her mother's doorway. She knew Brooke could be high maintenance sometimes, but she was taking way too long to get ready.

"Mom, seriously, what's the hold up?" she said, finally coming into the room. "You're going to be late!"

Brooke rolled her eyes as she fixed her mascara. "I'm almost done, Samantha-keep your shirt on," she said wryly. "And what are you in such a hurry for anyway. You're not planning on showing your sister another inappropriate movie, are you?" she asked suspiciously.

Sam shook her head wildly. "No way," she said. "My butt is still recovering from last time." "Your butt is gonna take even longer to recover if Mom finds out what you're doing", she thought to herself.

Brooke turned from the mirror and eyed her daughter. "Alright," she said finally, heading out the door and down the stairs, where Chelsea was in a trance watching cartoons on the flat screen above the fire place. Brooke walked over, took the remote from Chelsea, and used it to turn off the television.

"Hey! I was watching that!" Chelsea complained.

Brooke opted to ignore the whining since she was almost out the door. "You have watched plenty of TV today, young lady. You find something else to do until 9:00, at which time you will be getting in bed. And Sam, you be in bed by 10:30. Chelsea, listen to Sam, and Sam, be nice to your sister. I'll be home around midnight."

"Okay, Mommy," Chelsea said with a slight pout.

"Good girl," Brooke said, giving her a smile and a quick kiss. "I love you both," she added, giving Sam a kiss as well, which Sam promptly wiped off. "Behave yourselves!" Brooke called as she walked out the door.

As soon as Sam heard the car drive off, she hurried to the backdoor and opened it, allowing about 3 dozen high school kids to pour in, several of them laden down with alcohol.

"Listen Brat, I'll give you five bucks to go up to your room and play for the rest of the night, okay?" Sam said, coming over to Chelsea.

Chelsea's face instantly twisted into a pout. "I wanna stay with you and the big kids, Sam!" she begged. "Please? I promise I won't tell Mama!"

Sam was about to drag her upstairs when one of her friends intervened on Chelsea's behalf. "Come on, Sam, let the kid stay. If you don't she might squeal on you.

"You're right," Sam sighed, knowing that Chelsea would definitely tattle if she felt slighted. "Alright, listen Chels, you can stay. But you stay where you can see me at all times, and don't you dare drink or eat anything unless I get it for you. Got it?"

"Got it!" Chelsea said happily, thrilled to hang out with her older sister and her friends.

A few hours had gone by before anybody even noticed what time it was. The night had been filled with drinking games and make out sessions, but despite all the debauchery, Sam did a good job of keeping Chelsea out of trouble. As usual, Chelsea wasn't very happy when Sam tried to put her to bed at 9:00, but luckily the night's events had worn Chels out more than usual. Sam was enjoying the rest of the party when all of a sudden one of her friends tapped her on the shoulder and pointed at her watch.

"Holy crap!" Sam gasped. "You guys, it's ten til midnight!" she yelled, trying to be heard over the music. "You guys all have to help me clean up and bail before my mom gets home!"

Instantly, everyone began to pitch in, and with a great deal of teamwork, got the place cleaned up within 5 minutes. After everyone had run out the door, Sam went to take out the last bag of trash, which happened to be nothing but beer bottles. As she lifted the bag off the floor, the front door opened, causing Sam to drop the bag in surprise.

Brooke looked at her daughter in shock and anger as dozens of beer bottles slid out of the bag onto the floor. "What the hell is this?" she shrieked. "Have you been drinking? Where's Chelsea?"

"Chelsea's fine, Mom," Sam said quickly, figuring that her only saving grace at this point was that her sister was safe. "She's in bed…I took really good care of her."

"Oh really? By taking care of her, do you mean that you gave her beer in a sippy cup?" Brooke said sarcastically.

"Of course not!" Sam said indignantly. "I would never let Chelsea anywhere near beer!"

"But you had no problem bringing it into our house, or, from the smell of your breath, drinking it yourself, did you?" Brooke demanded. When Sam lowered her head and didn't respond, Brooke closed her eyes and quickly counted to five. When she was done, she leveled Sam with a glare. "I am going upstairs to check on your sister. When I get back down here, we are going to have a very intense conversation, little girl." With that, she stomped up the stairs.

Twenty minutes later, a very nervous Sam sat on the couch as her mother stomped down the stairs.

"Well, fortunately for you, Chelsea seems to be just fine," Brooke said icily, sitting down next to her on the couch. "You mind telling me what in the hell you were thinking?"

"Well, um…"

"You know what I think, Sam?" Brooke interrupted. "I think that you weren't thinking at all. Because if you had been thinking, you never would have done something so monumentally stupid! God knows what all went on in this house tonight besides the drinking! You have absolutely no business engaging in this kind of behavior."

Sam had been feeling slightly remorseful, but her rebellious tendencies had a habit of kicking in when they would be least helpful.

"You have absolutely no business lecturing me!" she yelled, jumping to her feet and glaring at Brooke. "I've heard the stories-you were nothing but a beer-guzzling slut when you were my age!"

"SAMANTHA!" Brooke yelled, rising to her feet as well. "I suggest you stop right there before you get yourself in deeper than you already are! You will not disrespect me like that! Yes, I admit that I was not a model teenager, but that does not mean I will freely let you go down that road!"

"It's MY road to go down!" Sam yelled back.

"Samantha, the day I adopted you it stopped being your road to go down," Brooke said fiercely. "I swore to you and to myself on that day that you would never behave like I did in high school, and if you ever did, I would do to you what should have been done to me on a regular basis!"

Sam's heart sank in her chest as she realized what her mother was talking about.


	3. Chapter 3

Brooke closed her eyes and took a deep breath. As furious as she was right now with her oldest daughter, she didn't want to risk hurting her because she was too angry.

"Mom?" Sam said tentatively, snapping Brooke out of her reverie. "I…I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to call you a slut…I don't…"

"I know you didn't, Sam," Brooke cut her off. "I'm not nearly as angry about that as I am about the fact that you endangered your life and your little sister's tonight with this stunt you pulled. And trust me when I say that every single smack you are about to get is to remind you that it is never okay to put yourself in danger."

Sam's eyes widened as her mom sat back down on the couch and gave her a meaningful glance.

"Mom, please, I-"

"Samantha, you do not want to make me come get you," Brooke said in a low voice. "You have ten seconds to get your little butt over here or things are going to get very ugly. One…two…"

Sam bit her lip and slowly approached her mother's side. Brooke had only gotten to ten once in the time that Sam had been living her, and it was not an experience that either of them was anxious to repeat.

Brooke stopped counting and gave a mental sigh of relief that Sam had chosen to cooperate. Wanting the whole situation over with as soon as possible, Brooke closed her hand around her eldest daughter's wrist and pulled her over her lap. Sam fought back a whimper as her mom wrapped an arm around her waist and flipped up her skirt.

Brooke raised her hand and began slapping the teenage girl's bottom with as much force as she had ever used during a spanking. It hadn't been that long since Brooke had been a wild teenage girl who threw out-of-control parties without parental supervision, and Brooke would be damned if either of her girls would follow in her footsteps.

"Sam, you weren't wrong tonight when you called me the beer-guzzling slut of Tree Hill," Brooke said as she continued to spank. "I was far too wild in high school, and it's not something that I'm proud of. Maybe if someone had taken me in hand when I was your age, I wouldn't have had so much regret about my teenage years. But you are my daughter, and I refuse to let you or I look back with regret at your time in high school."

Sam felt tears welling up in her eyes, not just from the spanking (which was definitely starting to burn), but from the combination of disappointment, resolve, and love in her mother's voice. After fourteen years being thrown from foster home to foster home, it still boggled Sam's mind that Brooke could love her so much, and that she could feel so much love for Brooke. Sam was trying to break her rebellious tendencies, but after years of practice she was finding it a difficult task. Being spanked by her mom made her feel ashamed, but also loved and protected.

Sam hissed as Brooke landed a series of particularly stinging slaps to the tops of her thighs. "Mom, I'm sorry, I won't do it again!" she choked out, her tears starting to flow in spite of herself.

"Oh, you better hope you don't do it again, Samantha Nicole," Brooke scolded making the swats come harder and slower now that she was getting a reaction from the teen. "I swear, if you pull a stunt like this ever again, I will blister your bare butt, and I won't use my hand, young lady!"

The threat and the increased strength of the spanking fully weakened Sam's resolve, and she burst into broken sobs. Hearing her daughter's miserable cries, Brooke ended the spanking with half a dozen solid swats, before lifting Sam in her arms and cuddling her as though she were Chelsea's age.

"Shhh, it's alright, Sam," Brooke soothed, rubbing Sam's shaking back. "Mama's got you." Brooke knew that although she would never admit it, Sam longed for some of her lost childhood, which is why Brooke was so affectionate with her, even when she was forced to be strict.

Eventually, Sam's sobs subsided, and Brooke tilted the girl's face toward her own. "There are not enough words to describe how much I hate doing that," Brooke said gently. "As much as your butt is hurting right now, it doesn't even compare to how much my heart is hurting. So could you please try not to make me do it so often?"

Sam nodded, swallowing back the last of her tears. "I'll try, Mom…I love you," she added softly.

Brooke smiled, brushing her hair back from her tear-stained face. "I love you, too, sweetheart," she said softly. "And I'll have plenty of time over the next two weeks to prove to you how much I love you, since you won't be leaving this house," she added, giving Sam a pointed look.

Ordinarily, Sam would have started protesting being grounded, particularly after such a hard spanking. But her exhaustion from the evening's events had caught up with her, so she simply nodded and leaned her head against Brooke's shoulder. Mother and daughter sat together until Sam drifted off to sleep, and Brooke carried her up to bed.

Brooke startled awake at the sound of the doorbell. She rolled over and saw that the clock said 9:00 am. Ordinarily, she would have been up well before then, but after a night out with her friends followed by a rather harrowing discipline session with her daughter, she was completely wiped out. Groaning, she slid out of bed and threw on her bathrobe as the doorbell rang again.

"Lucas," she said with surprise. "What brings you by so early?"

Lucas Scott smiled as he leaned against the door frame. "Well, I didn't really consider it early for you, Tigger," he teased. "Did Peyton get you drunk last night or something?"

"Ugh, I wish," Brooke groaned, opening the door further so he could come in. "Miss Samantha decided to throw a party in my absence, while she was supposed to be watching Chelsea. And believe me, the amount of alcohol that was apparently consumed at said party could have rivaled some of the biggest keggers I was ever responsible for. So my exhaustion is not from my own alcohol consumption, but from making Samantha pay for the alcohol consumption of her underage friends.

"I see," Lucas said, the look on his face a combination of humor and sympathy. "Is it safe to say that you took a page out of my mom's book when dealing with my darling niece?"

Brooke grinned ruefully. Lucas was one of the few people that knew about how Karen had straightened her out during high school. Brooke had moved in with Karen during her junior year, and despite knowing that Karen was a much more hands on parent than her own mother, decided she would continue living life as she had in the past. The first time Brooke had snuck out to go to a party and come home drunk, Karen had instantly sobered her up with a spanking and a week-long grounding. Brooke was a little resentful at the time, but she soon grew to love Karen as a mother and realized that her discipline was probably the best thing that had ever happened to her.

"I did indeed," Brooke said, pouring them each a cup of coffee. "In fact, I really need to call Karen soon. Now that I'm on her side of the situation I can appreciate just how hard it was for her to deal with me."

"Well, in your defense, I wasn't exactly a picnic to raise, either," Lucas said, accepting the steaming mug she offered him. "But speaking of mom, she's actually the reason I came by. She called me last night to tell me that she, Andy, and Lily are moving back to Tree Hill."

Brooke gasped in delight. "No way!" she squealed, instantly feeling all the stress from last night melt away. "I can't believe it-why all of a sudden?"

"Andy secured a teaching job at Wake Forest," Lucas explained. "And even though he'll have to commute, he and mom decided that they wanted to come back to Tree Hill and raise Lily here. They arrive next week."

"This is going to be so awesome," Brooke gushed. "Lily will be in the same class as Chelsea and Jamie, and I'll have Karen to help me through my awkward attempt at motherhood.

Lucas set down his coffee cup and gave Brooke a hard glance. "You are not making an awkward attempt at motherhood, Brooke Davis," he said firmly. "Considering the fact that you didn't even know what a mother was before you were sixteen, I'd say you're doing a pretty damn good job."

"Thanks Luke," Brooke said sincerely. "That means a lot coming from you." As the two friends sipped their coffee, they heard a door open and close upstairs, followed by footsteps padding down the hallway. "Sounds like Sam," Brooke said, taking her cup over to the sink. "How much do you want to bet that after a few hours of sleep she's coming down here to try and get out of her grounding?"

Lucas chuckled. "If she's anything like her mother, I'd be willing to bet the entire earnings of my next novel on that one," he joked.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi everyone! Thanks to everyone who left supportive comments-I'm so glad there are people enjoying the story! This chapter isn't quite as long as I intended it to be, but I thought I'd give you guys a little bit rather than make you wait a while longer. Enjoy!**

"Mom, I rolled out of bed onto the floor and now my ass hurts even more," Sam whined, as she padded into the kitchen, rubbing her butt. The pout on her face quickly turned to a look of mortification when she realized that her mom was not alone.

"Morning, Sam," Lucas smiled, trying not to laugh at the teen's now bright red face. "Can we get you anything? Juice, cereal, a pillow to sit on…?"

Sam turned an even more vibrant shade of red. It was bad enough being spanked at fifteen, but having people know about it was even worse.

"Very funny," she mumbled, turning away from the adults and heading back toward the staircase.

"Sam, come back here," Brooke called, giving Lucas an admonishing look. "Your Uncle Lucas is just glad that for once he's not the teenager having trouble sitting down. God knows he's been in your position more times than he can count."

Lucas laughed. "Touché," he said with a smile. "I'm sorry, Sammy girl," he said sincerely. "Your mom is right, and for the record, I feel your pain. Or, have felt it, anyway. Which is why I was serious about the offer of a pillow," he added, heading over to the couch and grabbing a throw pillow for Samantha's chair.

Sam's blush faded a bit as she realized that Luke was being sincere. "Thanks," she said quietly, coming back to the counter and sliding herself carefully on to her chair.

Brooke placed a glass of orange juice and a bowl full of Cocoa Pops in front of Sam. She usually tried to keep the sugary cereals to a minimum, but Sam was a chocoholic, and Brooke knew that her daughter would appreciate the small gesture. Sam gave her mom a smile and dug in.

"So Sam, Haley invited Chelsea over for a play date with Jamie today, and I have to go into work for at least a few hours," Brooke said. "Now, I have compiled an extensive list of chores for you to complete during your lengthy grounding, but I don't really feel comfortable leaving you alone today. So you'll come into work with me and you can get started on your chores when we get home."

"Mom, do I have to?" Sam whined. "It still hurts to sit down, and I don't want everyone at the store to know I'm in trouble."

"You know, Brooke, I'm not doing anything today," Lucas interrupted. "Peyton is in the studio all day, and I've got my laptop in the car. I could stay here with Sam until you come home."

Sam looked at her mom with puppy dog eyes. She didn't really want to stay home and do chores, but that was better than probably having to face a bunch of people who could figure out that she had been punished. At least Lucas already knew.

Brooke sized Sam up with a look before turning to Lucas. "Can I trust you to not be the cool uncle for once and to keep her on task?" she asked suspiciously.

Luke crossed his heart and gave her wink. "I promise, when you come home, she will be the most miserable teenager in Tree Hill," he said solemnly.

"Good," Brooke said, matching his serious tone before breaking out into a grin. She turned to Sam, who was rolling her eyes at the two adults in front of her. "You finish up your breakfast. I'm going to go get Chelsea ready for her play date, and when I come back down, I will give you the details on just how much your life is going to suck for the next three weeks."

Sam groaned as Brooke patted her on the shoulder with a smile and headed upstairs to Chelsea's room.

"Good morning, Baby Girl," Brooke said softly, sitting on the edge of Chelsea's bed and brushing her hair out of her face. "It's time to get up. You're going to go play with Jamie today."

Chelsea opened her eyes and started to smile, but then bit her lip. "Mama, am I in trouble?" she asked worriedly.

Brooke frowned. "No sweetheart, why would you be in trouble," she asked, stroking Chelsea's cheek.

"I heard you yellin' last night about the party," Chelsea said, shrinking down into her covers. "And I heard you spankin' Sam, and Sam cryin', and I was at the party too…" she trailed off.

Brooke sighed and lifted Chelsea up onto her lap. "No, Baby, you're not in trouble," she said, rubbing Chelsea's back. "Sam was the one who was naughty, and she told me that you listened to her and obeyed her all night, so I'm proud of you," she said reassuringly.

Chelsea breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, cause I don't wanna spankin'," she said emphatically.

Brooke laughed and gave her a hug. "Well, so far you haven't done anything to deserve one today," she said. "But sweetie, if Sam ever throws a party like that again or does something that you think might be dangerous or wrong, it's okay to call me. I won't punish you for tattling in that situation. Okay?"

"Okay, Mama," Chelsea said, returning the hug before bouncing off of Brooke's lap. "Can I wear my princess shirt over to Jamie's?" she asked, running over to her closet.

Brooke rolled her eyes. As moody as Sam was, Chelsea seemed to let most things roll off her back within a minute or two. "Yes, you may," Brooke said, coming over to help her.

Half an hour later, Brooke was bundling Chelsea out the door, while an unhappy Sam stared at a list of chores in her hand. "Behave, Samantha. Lucas has my permission to discipline you while I'm gone," Brooke said, giving Sam a last hug. "I'll be back in a few hours."

After the door had closed, Sam turned around and saw Lucas looking at her.

"Well, we're going to have a fun day, aren't we, Cinderella?" he said, plopping himself down on the couch with a smirk.

**Hope you guys like where the story is going so far! Coming up next: Luke regales Sam with tales of rebellious teenage Brooke, while Jamie and Chelsea get into a bit of trouble at the Scott House!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Alright, here's the next chapter! There are multiple mentions of spanking, so if that's not your thing, go find another story. I'll be honest, I'm not sure how well Chelsea turned out-I have a harder time with original characters. So hopefully, you guys enjoy!**

Sam gave Lucas a pitiful look. "Are you really not going to be the cool uncle today?" she asked in the saddest voice she could muster.

Lucas attempted to look stern, but Sam's puppy dog expression reminded him so much of Brooke at her age that he couldn't hold back a chuckle. "Come here," he said, patting the couch next to him. "Let's take a look at the warden's instructions."

Sam came over and sat down gingerly next to him, shifting so that most of her weight was on her hip. "This list is ridiculous-I'll be lucky to finish everything in the next three weeks."

Lucas examined the list, and laughed when he read the first chore written on the piece of paper. "Alright, Sam, million dollar question: What will you use to mop the kitchen floor?"

Sam looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "Uh, I think I'll try a mop, genius," she said sarcastically. "What else would I use?"

"Well, when I was your age, I too believed that a mop was the necessary tool to use when mopping the floor," Lucas said, putting his arm around the young girl. "But then one day, I walked into my kitchen, and saw a recently grounded teenager not unlike you, who was proceeding to mop the kitchen floor with a sponge."

Sam looked at him strangely for a minute before she realized who he was talking about. "Wait, Mom didn't know how to mop?" she asked incredulously. "Could have fooled me-I was barely living with her a week before she was telling me exactly how to scrub the upstairs bathroom."

"Well, in all fairness, she didn't acquire her vast knowledge until after living with my mom for a couple of months," Lucas said. "When Brooke started living with us, she was completely clueless. Not just about chores, but about what it meant to have a real parent."

"What'd she do to get grounded?" Sam asked curiously.

"She went to a party and came stumbling home after curfew, drunk off her rocker," Lucas said, smiling as he remembered. "My mom had warned her that she wasn't going to tolerate drinking or staying out all night, but Brooke had spent so much of high school doing whatever she wanted that she didn't take her seriously."

"How long was she grounded for?" Sam asked, wanting to file away as much information as she could for future use.

"About as long as it took for her to start sitting comfortably again," Lucas said with a smirk.

Sam's eyes widened. "No way! Your mom actually spanked my mom?" she asked in shock.

"Oh yeah," Lucas said. "It happened several times, actually, but that night was the first. And Brooke was totally freaked out. She'd never been punished before, let alone spanked. To be honest, I think her feelings were hurt more than her rear end."

"So, I have your mom to thank for the fact that my ass is still on fire?" Sam demanded. "Sounds like if it wasn't for her, Mom would have never even considered spanking."

Lucas raised an eyebrow at the young teen. "You also have my mom to thank for turning Brooke into the loving, caring mom that she is for you," he said, squeezing Sam's shoulder lightly. "You know, when I came over that night and found Brooke cleaning, she was really upset. She thought my mom didn't like her anymore because she'd punished her. But I told her that if my mom took the time to spank her and ground her, she obviously cared about her a whole lot. Just like Brooke cares about you," he added.

Sam leaned her head on Lucas's shoulder. She would never tell anyone, but of all her "aunts" and "uncles", Lucas was by far her favorite. He was the easiest to talk to, and he was always totally open and honest with her.

"I guess you're right," she said sheepishly. "Remind me to tell your mom thank you once she gets here."

"I will," Lucas promised, before leaning in towards Sam conspiratorially. "There's one other thing I didn't tell you about that night. Your mom was so stressed out over being punished, that I volunteered to help her with her chores. I can't resist a girl with puppy dog eyes," he said with a wink.

Sam looked at him hopefully. "I'll do the evens, you do the odds?" she asked, opening her eyes as wide as they would go.

"It's a deal," Lucas said, giving her a tight hug before standing up. "We'll have these cranked out in no time."

While Sam and Lucas began cleaning the Davis household from top to bottom, Chelsea and Jamie were having a play date of epic proportions over at the Scott house. Haley had let them help her in the kitchen baking brownies, which they ate while watching cartoons. Then, while Haley went to the market, Nathan let them go outside and play with Jamie's basketball hoop by the pool.

"Hey Chelsea, do you want to help me make a welcome sign for Lily later?" Jamie asked, tossing her the basketball.

"I dunno. Who's Lily?" Chelsea asked, bouncing the ball with both hands.

"You've heard of her. She's Uncle Lucas's little sister. She and Aunt Karen are moving back to Tree Hill. Mama and Daddy told me this morning," Jamie explained.

"Oh," Chelsea said, her brow furrowing in concern. Chelsea had spent the previous four years in over half a dozen foster homes before Brooke finally found her, and she was extremely wary of new people. "I don't think so," she said, dropping the ball on the ground and walking over to stand by the pool.

"Why not?" Jamie said, a little confused as to why Chelsea was suddenly so moody. "Lily's really nice. You'll like her; she's my best friend."

Chelsea whirled around, her face puckered into a frown. "I thought _I _was your best friend," she said in a hurt voice.

"You're both my best friends," Jamie protested, getting more flustered by the minute. "And Lily will be your friend, too."

"No, she won't," Chelsea said stubbornly. "I hate Lily! She's stupid and I wish she wasn't coming!"

"She is not stupid!" Jamie said hotly. "You take that back, Chelsea!"

"She's stupid, _stupid_, STUPID!" Chelsea yelled, stomping her foot for emphasis.

Jamie was usually a sweet, gentle boy, but he didn't like it when people he loved were threatened or insulted. Before he realized what he was doing, he reared his foot back and kicked Chelsea as hard as he could in the shin.

"OW!" Chelsea screamed, holding her leg in pain. Jamie's eyes widened as he realized what he had done, but before he could stammer out and apology, Chelsea gave him a furious shove, causing them both to fall in the pool.

Nathan had been sitting at his desk paying some bills, glancing up every so often to make sure the kids were alright. He was in the middle of figuring out the next car payment when he heard a splash. Whipping his head up, he panicked when he saw two small heads floating at the surface of the pool.

"Shit!" he said, jumping to his feet and running outside. He jumped into the pool and pulled the two spluttering kids to the surface. "Hold on, guys, I'll get you out in a second," he said, relieved that he had noticed them right away. He hoisted Chelsea up onto the side of the pool, followed by Jamie, and then he pushed himself up.

Nathan grasped each of the children by the wrist and dragged them a safe distance from the pool. After checking both of them over to make sure they didn't have any injuries, he stood up and assumed his "mad dad" stance. "What the hell were you thinking?" he yelled. "You know better than to go in the pool without an adult! Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?"

Jamie's eyes welled up with tears. His best friend had fought with him, he had fallen in the pool, and now his Daddy was yelling at him. "It wasn't my fault!" he cried angrily. "SHE pushed me!"

"He kicked me first!" Chelsea retorted, tears streaming down her face as well.

"So not only did you play too close to the pool, but you were fighting?" Nathan asked furiously. "What was so important that you guys had to start hurting each other?"

When the kids just glared at each other and refused to answer him, Nathan snapped. His heart was still pounding from thinking that either one of the kids might be hurt or drowned. Before he could stop himself, he turned Jamie around and gave him half a dozen solid swats over his soaking wet shorts.

"Daddy!" Jamie cried. "That hurts!"

"Good," Nathan said shortly, releasing him and then reaching out for Chelsea. "I'll bet it hurts a lot less than it would have if you would have kept fighting and shoving each other into pools." He gave Chelsea six stinging smacks as well, causing the young girl to wail so loudly he thought he heard the neighbor's dog bark in response. After he was done, Nathan knelt down and pulled Jamie over to stand next to Chelsea.

"Don't ever let me catch you fighting again, near a pool or otherwise," he said sharply, looking them both in the eye. "If I do, neither of you will sit down for a week, got it?"

Both of them nodded, Chelsea's lower lip quivering and Jamie hiccupping as he tried to control his sobs. "Alright," Nathan said more gently, wrapping his arms around both of them. Jamie hugged him back tightly, but Chelsea's arms remained stiffly by her sides. Nathan sighed, knowing that she was probably scared. As far as he knew, no one but Brooke had ever spanked her before. Still, he and Haley had always given Brooke permission to discipline Jamie when he was under her watch, and Brooke had done the same for them in terms of Sam and Chelsea.

"Now, are you guys going to tell me what you were fighting about?" Nathan asked, pulling away from the embrace.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Chelsea mumbled, scrubbing her fist over her eyes. In retrospect, she felt bad about calling Lily stupid, a girl she had never met. And she was hurt that not only had Jamie kicked her, but her Uncle Nathan had spanked her. Maybe now they didn't like her anymore.

"Me neither," Jamie said quietly. Even though he was still upset that Chelsea had called Lily stupid, he felt bad for kicking her. If she didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't either.

Nathan sighed, knowing he needed some back-up. "Come on," he said, standing up and placing a hand on both of their backs. "Let's go get you guys dried off. I'll call your moms and then we'll all sit down and talk about this.

Half an hour later, Brooke let herself in the front door of the Scott house without even knocking. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Chelsea curled up against the corner of the couch, with Haley rubbing her hand on her back. Nathan was holding Jamie in his lap, and he looked up at Brooke helplessly when she walked in.

"Brooke, I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "I just got so scared seeing them in that pool that I just snapped."

"I know, Nathan," Brooke reassured him. "I'm more concerned with why they were fighting than the fact that you spanked her." She knelt down next to the couch and brushed Chelsea's hair out of her face.

"Hey Baby Girl," she said softly. "Can you tell Mama what happened today?"

Chelsea hadn't said a word since the pool incident, but seeing her mother caused her emotions to spill over. "Jamie and Uncle Nathan don't like me anymore," she whimpered.

"Oh sweetheart, of course they do!" Brooke said, picking Chelsea up and sitting down with her in her lap. "Everyone in this room loves you very, very much."

"We sure do," said Haley, giving Chelsea a smile. "If you tell us what you and Jamie were fighting about, maybe we can help you realize that. No matter what it was, we will still love both of you."

Chelsea lifted her head and glanced at Jamie, who nodded back solemnly, letting her know that it was okay to talk. "I was mean about Lily," she said softly, looking down at her hands.

Brooke's brow furrowed in confusion. "Lily Scott? But you don't even know her."

"Jamie said that she was gonna come and be his best friend," Chelsea explained. "If she's his best friend, then he won't like me anymore. He'll like her better-he even kicked me cause of her."

"I do like you, Chelsea," Jamie protested, jumping off Nathan's lap and coming over to stand by his mom. "I like you _and _Lily the same. You're both my best friends-I told you that. And I'm sorry I kicked you. I just got mad."

"Sweetie, Lily coming doesn't mean that anyone will love you any less," Brooke said gently. "It just means that our family is getting a little bit bigger. There will be more people to love you and more people for you to love. But no one is going to take your place, Chelsea Lynn."

"Promise?" Chelsea asked, looking around the room at everyone.

"Promise," said Brooke, Haley, Nathan and Jamie all at the same time, causing everyone in the room to break into laughter.

Chelsea climbed down from Brooke's lap and gave Jamie a hug. "I'm sorry I pushed you and called Lily names," she said.

"I'm sorry, too," Jamie replied, hugging her back.

"If you want, maybe I can still help you make that sign?" Chelsea offered tentatively.

Jamie broke into a grin. "Awesome!" he said. "Let's work on it right now!"

"Whoa, not today, kiddo," Haley said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You guys have both had a long day, and besides, Lily won't be here for another week. We'll get you two together again soon, okay?"

The kids nodded reluctantly. "Alright, Chelsea, it's time to go," Brooke said. "I need to check on your sister, and you and I need to have a little chat about fighting."

Chelsea's eyes opened wide. "But Uncle Nathan already spanked me!" she protested. "And it really hurt too!"

Brooke rolled her eyes. "When I said 'chat', I actually meant 'chat," she said drily. "I'm not going to spank you twice for the same thing."

"Oh," Chelsea said, giving a short sigh of relief.

Nathan stood up and walked over to the little girl, picking her up in his arms. "Are you and I okay, kid?" he said softly.

Chelsea bit her lip. "Are you still mad at me?"

"No sweetheart," Nathan said gently. "I was more scared than mad. Just promise me you won't ever do anything like that again, okay?"

"Okay," Chelsea said, giving him a hug. Nathan hugged her back tightly, relieved that he hadn't scarred the kid for life.

"I love you, Uncle Nathan," Chelsea said as he passed her off to Brooke's waiting arms. "But I'm never gettin' in trouble around you again. You spank harder than Mama!"

All three of the adults laughed as Brooke and Chelsea headed for the door.

When they got home, Brooke helped Chelsea out of the car and held her hand as they walked up the driveway. "Your sister had better be cleaning her little butt off when we get inside," she said, unlocking the front door. When she opened the door, she couldn't believe what she saw.

"What the hell is going on?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! Sorry it took so long for this chapter, but I've had the flu . Alright, a lot of you have been PMing me questions about Brooke having a guy: who it will be, when it will happen, etc. All I can tell you is that in a few more chapters, it will probably become very obvious who Brooke is going to end up with. Just bear with me, and we'll get Brooke her guy as soon as possible. Thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed! Enjoy!**

Sam looked up in alarm, her mouth full of Ben and Jerry's, while Lucas dropped the remote in surprise.

"Brooke! You're home early!"

"Don't try and change the subject, Lucas Scott," Brooke said sternly, sounding so much like his own mother that Lucas actually got a little nervous. "Did I or did I not leave instructions that Samantha was supposed to spend her day doing chores and being utterly miserable?"

"I am miserable," Sam said, coming to Lucas's defense. She held up the carton of ice cream sitting between the two of them on the couch. "See, he's making me eat Chunky Monkey, when he knows my favorite is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough."

"And we're even watching educational TV," Lucas added. "We're about halfway through Pearl Harbor, so Sam's learning all about America's entrance into WWII."

Brooke fixed him with an irritated glare. "I am so ratting you out to your mother when she gets here," she said threateningly. "Please tell me you did not spend the whole day gorging yourselves on junk food and overrated movies?"

"I finished the whole list an hour ago," Sam said, resuming her consumption of the ice cream. "And Lucas made me eat a sandwich before I got to have ice cream."

"There is no way you could have finished that entire list, Sam!" Brooke said incredulously. "I left enough chores for at least two people!" She stopped suddenly, and turned back to Lucas. "Unless there were two people doing the chores," she said accusingly.

"Hey, you never objected when I helped you with your chores when you were grounded," Lucas retorted. "Besides, she's got such a cute little face," he added, turning Sam's face toward Brooke, who obligingly put on her best puppy dog face.

"Her face may be cute, but it's not allowed to be watching television while it's grounded," Brooke said firmly, walking over and shutting off the set.

"Aw, Mom!" Sam complained. "Ben Affleck and John Hartnett were about to start beating each other up!"

"Up you get, Missy," Brooke said, pulling Sam to her feet and directing her towards the stairs. "If you want to learn so badly about WWII, go read a book."

Sam started to protest again, but Brooke gave her a light slap on the behind and pointed at the stairs. Pouting, she obeyed her mother. "Bye, Uncle Lucas," she said pitifully.

"See ya, kid," Lucas said, before turning his attention to Chelsea, who had long since abandoned the scene and gone over to the other side of the room to play with her Barbie Dream House. "Hey Midget, don't you have a hug for your Uncle Lucas?"

Chelsea dropped the doll she was dressing and came skipping over. "I got in trouble today, Uncle Lucas," she said, climbing into his lap and snuggling against his chest.

"You? Get in trouble? No way!" Lucas said in mock surprise. "What happened?"

"Jamie and I got in a fight, and we fell in the pool, and Uncle Nathan spanked us," she said, mimicking the pitiful look she had seen her big sister give moments before.

"He what?" Lucas said, feigning shock. "Do you want me to go spank him for you? I'm his big brother, I can totally do that."

"No!" Chelsea giggled. "He's too big. 'Sides, I was kinda bad. I said mean things."

"Aw, you could never be mean, Princess. What'd you say?"

"Um…"Chelsea said, looking at Brooke questioningly.

Brooke took pity on the little girl and sat down next to her and Lucas. "Chelsea was a little upset about her Aunt Karen and Lily coming to Tree Hill. I think she was a little scared that we all might love Lily more than her."

"Well, that is just silly," Lucas said, cuddling Chelsea close. "I think I have enough room for two beautiful six year old girls in my life. I'll bet you and Lily will be best friends."

"Really?"

"Really," Lucas promised. "Plus, Aunt Karen and Uncle Andy will probably spoil you rotten. They're going to love you just as much as I love you."

"She doesn't need anyone else to spoil her rotten," said Brooke, rolling her eyes. "Between you and Peyton and Nathan and Haley, she's the most spoiled kid in town. Well, she and Jamie are."

"That's because they're the coolest kids around," Lucas said, tickling Chelsea and making her shriek in delight. "Speaking of spoiling people rotten, though, I should go. I have a pregnant fiancé at home who has had a long day at work and is probably in need of a little TLC."

"You tell Peyton that she needs to get off her feet and start relaxing all the time," Brooke said, taking Chelsea from Lucas's arms. "I do not need my new niece or nephew born early because she was so busy trying to be some music producer superhero while she was six months pregnant. Besides, she's going to look terrible in the wedding photos if she keeps running herself ragged."

"Do me a favor and tell her that," Lucas said drily, standing up and gathering his things. "God knows I've tried enough times, but heaven help the man who tries to argue with Peyton Sawyer."

"I'll give her a call later tonight," Brooke promised. "And when I call, we can make plans about how we're going to get things ready for Karen's homecoming."

"Sounds great," Lucas said, giving Chelsea a kiss on the cheek. "See you, Princess."

"Bye, Uncle Lucas!"

"And see you, Princess," Lucas said slyly, addressing Brooke.

"Get out of here, you weirdo," Brooke said, throwing a pillow at his retreating back. When he was gone, she turned to Chelsea and said, "Well, you've had a pretty exciting day, haven't you?"

Chelsea's smile instantly faded and she looked down at her lap. "I'm sorry, Mama," she said softly. "I didn't mean to push Jamie-I was just mad."

"We've talked about that, Chels," Brooke said, rubbing the little girl's back. "I know in some of the places you lived at before you came to Mama, people yelled and hit when they got mad. But you know that the right thing to do is to talk about how you feel with calm words."

"I know…I just forgotted," Chelsea said sheepishly.

"Do you think you're going to remember next time?" Brooke asked gently.

"Uh huh," Chelsea said, nodding vigorously. "I don't want Uncle Nathan to spank me again."

Brooke smiled and gave her a hug. "Well, between you and me, I don't think he wants to either," she said conspiratorially. "But sweetie, the reason you shouldn't say mean things and hit isn't because you might get spanked for it. It's because it's not a nice thing to do. I think you hurt Jamie's feelings with what you said, and you probably would have hurt Lily's feelings, too. You wouldn't want someone to say mean things about you, would you?"

"No, Mama," Chelsea whispered. "I'm sorry; I won't be mean anymore."

"That's my good girl," Brooke said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Now, why don't you go upstairs and bug your sister, because clearly she hasn't been punished enough today, and I will get started on dinner."

"Can we have macaroni and cheese?" Chelsea asked excitedly.

Brooke laughed. "Yes, but only because I'm too tired to make anything else," she said with a smile. "Now scoot!"

Chelsea ran up the stairs and straight into Sam's room, as evidenced by Sam's loud protests that echoed down the stairwell. Brooke smiled and headed into the kitchen to start cooking.

One week later, the entire gang was gathered at the James-Scott mansion, getting everything ready for a big welcome home dinner for Karen, Andy, and Lily.

"I still don't understand why you won't let them stay here until they find a house, Peyton," Haley fretted, laying out plates and silverware on the kitchen island. "We have a lot more space, and you certainly don't need to be entertaining company when you're almost seven months along."

"Haley, we've talked about this," Peyton chided, as she shredded lettuce into a huge salad bowl. "Lucas really misses Karen and Lily and wants to spend as much time as possible with them. With Andy's money, it won't be long at all before they find the perfect house. And besides, knowing Karen, I won't be able to get off the couch while she's there, let alone do any entertaining."

"Fine," Haley sighed, reaching into the oven and taking out two peach pies. "But I am telling Karen that either Brooke or I will take Lily at least three days a week to give you some rest."

"Absolutely," said Brooke, coming into the kitchen with Sam trailing close behind. "You are going to take care of yourself and that baby, P. Sawyer, if I have to chain you to your bed to make you do it. Now step away from the lettuce."

"Brooke, I can make a salad without forcing myself into premature labor," Peyton said exasperatedly.

"Maybe so," Brooke said coolly. "But I am not taking any chances. Besides, thanks to your smooth operating fiancé, my adolescent nightmare has not had nearly enough chores to do during her grounding. Sam, start shredding," she ordered.

Sam rolled her eyes and headed to the counter. "When Karen and Andy move out, can I move in?" she asked sarcastically.

Peyton laughed and put her arm around the girl. "Don't tell anyone, but you are so my favorite niece."

"Mama, look!" yelled Jamie, hurrying into the kitchen, trailing a huge piece of poster board and Chelsea behind him. "We finished our sign for Lily!"

"It's beautiful!" Haley gasped. "Come on, we better hurry and hang it up. Daddy and Uncle Lucas will be back from the airport soon!"

"Uh, too late," said Sam, looking out the window. "Looks like they're already here-guess this salad's gonna have to wait."

"Come on, Chelsea!" Jamie said, tugging her toward the front door. "We can hold the sign up!"

The three women and Sam followed the two young children to the front door as they flung it open, revealing Lucas lifting a little brown haired girl out of the backseat of his car.

"Hi, Lily!" Jamie said excitedly, bouncing up and down. "Welcome home!"

"Jamie!" Lily yelled, running up the driveway and throwing her arms around him. "I missed you!"

"I missed you, too," he grinned. Then he turned to Chelsea. "Lily, this is my other best friend, Chelsea."

"Aunt Brooke is your Mommy, right?" Lily said shyly. "I love Aunt Brooke."

"I love her, too," said Chelsea, offering Lily a tentative smile, while Lily returned.

"Well, I love Aunt Brooke _and _Chelsea _and _Lily!" said Haley, picking Lily up and wrapping her in a huge hug. "Where's your mommy?"

"Right there!" said Lily, pointing at Nathan's car which was pulling up behind Lucas's. The car had barely stopped before Karen was out of the passenger seat and running up the driveway.

"Karen!" Haley said, setting the little girl down and running to her second mother. "Oh my gosh, it's so good to see you!"

"And you!" Karen said, giving her a warm hug. "And Peyton! You look so beautiful! How's my grandchild doing?"

"Kicking up a storm," Peyton said, coming down to join the embrace. "He or she must be excited to see their grandmother."

"Oh God, please don't call me that yet!" Karen groaned, releasing the two girls. She turned toward the doorway and saw Brooke, who looked like she was trying not to cry.

"Brooke, honey, what's wrong?" she asked in concern, approaching the young woman.

"Nothing," Brooke said shakily, throwing her arms unabashedly around Karen. "I'm just happy to have my mom home."

Karen held her tight. "Me too, sweetheart, me too."

**Aw, tear! Coming up next: some bonding at the big family dinner, Peyton and Lucas's wedding plans, and maybe some child antics! Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi everyone! Well, I finally shook the flu, but now I have a sprained ankle. Life is just fabulous. But the good news for you is that I've been in bed all day with my foot propped up, so I had plenty of time to write! As with my other story, if you guys have any suggestions for things you want to see, please let me know. The romance situation is pretty much set in stone, so I wouldn't even bother with that. But if you want to see more interactions between certain characters or see the kids get into a certain kind of trouble, feel free to let me know! Enjoy!**

A couple of hours later, the entire extended Scott/Roe/Hargrove/Davis/Sawyer family was enjoying a very happy reunion. Jamie, Chelsea and Lily had retired to Jamie's room to play after they had eaten a mandatory amount of dinner. Nate and Luke were talking sports and drinking beers on the back deck with Andy, while Karen and the other girls were slowly finishing up dinner in the living room.

"Oh, Haley," Karen said, setting down her empty plate on the coffee table. "I think the student has become the teacher! Dinner was delicious."

"I did learn from the best," Haley said with a smile. "Don't praise me too much, though; you still haven't tasted the peach pie. It's my first attempt at making it."

"Well, I'm going to have to wait awhile before I can eat anything else. But in the meantime, why don't you relax while I get things cleaned up?" Karen said, starting to rise to her feet.

"Don't even think about it," Brooke said, placing her hand on Karen's wrist to stop her. "Miss Samantha is on cleaning duty tonight."

"Mom!" Sam complained. "There's like, a million dishes to wash! Can't I just have one night of freedom?"

"I think that the little party you threw qualifies as about ten days too much freedom," Brooke said sternly.

"Okay, compromise," Karen said, seeing that Sam was about to start protesting again. "I will help Sam clean up and make sure she does a good job. That way she and I can have a chance to get to know each other and you girls can talk wedding plans."

Brooke gave Karen a mock glare. "You always know my weak spot," she grumbled. "Fine, help her, but if there are any disgusting plates, she's responsible for them."

"Duly noted," Karen said with a chuckle. "Come on, Sam, we'll try to make this as painless as possible."

As soon as Sam and Karen were out of earshot, Haley broke into a big grin. "God, I didn't realize how much I missed her until now."

"Not me," Brooke said wistfully. "I've never stopped missing her." With a sigh, she turned to Peyton and smiled. "So, P. Sawyer, I finished your dress yesterday. It should cover that post-baby belly that you'll have pretty well. And I just finished the design for a gorgeous bridesmaid's dress for yours truly."

Peyton laughed. "Actually, I think that design is going to have to be approved by one more person," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "Lucas and I have been talking, and we want Sam to be a bridesmaid as well."

Brooke's eyes widened. "Oh my god, Peyton, she'll be thrilled!" she gushed. "But wait, what about Haley?"

"Oh, we didn't tell you? I'm going to be the minister," Haley said. "Yeah, Lucas ordained me online or something-I think he's nuts, but it's what he wants."

"And Lucas is asking Andy to stand up for him with Nathan, in Keith's place," Peyton said. "And if they're willing, we want Chelsea and Lily to be co-flower girls, with Jamie as the ring-bearer."

"We should probably change the invitations to say 'The Sawyer-Scott Family Affair' instead of 'The Sawyer-Scott Wedding'," Brooke joked. "Aside from Karen, I don't think there will be anyone left in the congregation."

"We'll have plenty of people to see your beautiful dress designs, B. Davis; don't you worry," Peyton said. "Now let's talk flowers."

While the girly talk was going on in the living room, the guy talk on the back deck had switched from sports to fatherhood.

"You getting nervous about this father thing, big bro?" Nathan asked, taking a swig from his Budweiser.

"I don't know, man," Lucas said, resting his elbows on his knees and looking out over the pool. "One minute I'm so excited I feel like I'm five years old and it's Christmas. The next minute I'm so scared that I feel like I'm five years old and it's storming on Halloween night."

"You're going to be a great father, Luke," Andy said reassuringly. "You had Keith as an example your whole life."

"Yeah," Nathan chimed in. "Hell, I had Dan as my example, and I'd like to think I'm doing okay."

The three men all gave grim chuckles at that point. "I'd like to think I'm doing okay with Lily, too," Andy said. "And I didn't even have nine months to prepare for her. I think being a father is something that just comes naturally to any good man."

"Keith would be happy to know that Lily has such a great stepfather," Lucas said sincerely. "I'm really grateful that you've been there for Lily and my mom. You've done an amazing job."

"Thank you, Luke," Andy responded, giving the young man a soft smile. "I like to think I am. Of course, there are some days where I still don't know what the hell I'm doing. Last month, for example, we docked in Greece, and Karen went onshore to go buy some groceries, while I stayed on the boat with Lily. I do this all the time, but we had some rough waters the night before, and I didn't sleep well. I was lying in a deck chair watching Lily play, and before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep."

"Oh man," Luke groaned. "If I know my baby sister, I can imagine this did not turn out well."

"It didn't, for either of us," Andy said drily. "I woke up to the sound of your mom screaming. When I sat up, I saw Lily doing chin-ups on the yacht railing, dangling over the ocean."

Nathan and Luke both burst out laughing at that image. "Oh man, what did you do?" Nathan asked.

"Well, I pulled her back over to safety, but after that I didn't do much of anything," Andy admitted. "As soon as I set her down on the deck, Karen pulled her across her knee and gave her the spanking of her life. And after that was over, she proceeded to yell at me for exactly thirty six minutes straight, with no pauses in between."

Lucas started to laugh again, but he choked it back when he saw the chagrined expression on Andy's face. "Well Andy, you knew when you married my mom that she could crack the whip-no matter how old you are," he said, shaking his head in mock reproach.

Nathan gave a contented sigh and leaned back in his deck chair. "I officially no longer feel like a pathetic excuse for a father and uncle for letting Jamie and Chelsea fall in the pool," he said.

"Nate, you handled that situation perfectly," Luke told him for the twentieth time. "Again, considering that you had Dan as your example. I mean, did the man ever actually discipline you, with the exception of subjecting you to emotional abuse and intense basketball training?"

Nathan thought back on his childhood. "There was one time," he said, sitting up again. "I was six, and I was playing basketball in the driveway. I missed my shot and the ball rolled out into the street. I ran out to get it, but just as I reached it, Dan's car turned around the corner. He was coming home from work, and he stopped inches before he hit me."

"Oh god," Andy said, putting his head in his hands. "Lily hasn't lived in an actual house since she learned to walk. I don't think we've ever covered running into the street."

"Well, if she does it, just do what Dan did and she won't do it again," Nathan said. "He didn't even remember to take the keys out of the ignition before hauling me up to my room and whipping my butt. I swear I slept on my stomach for the next four nights."

"Dude, that sucks," Lucas said, draining the last of his beer.

"Not really," Nathan said, shaking his head. "Back then, Dan cared more about me than about basketball. I was mad at the time, but now when I think about it, I remember how he held me afterward until I cried myself to sleep. Those are the kinds of moments I try to remember when I don't know how to be a good Dad to Jamie."

"Well, I don't know how many moments you have to remember, little brother," Luke said seriously. "But if I can be half the father that either of you are, or that Keith was, I think my kid is going to turn out just fine."

"I'll drink to that," Andy said, clinking his beer bottle with Nathan's. The three men sat in companionable silence, each thinking of the children, born and unborn, in their lives.

As the sun set down over Tree Hill and all of the adults were enjoying some grown-up conversation, Karen stood at the kitchen sink with Sam, drying the dishes after the teen had washed them.

"So Sam, from what I recall it's been almost a year since Brooke adopted you," Karen said, drying off a butter knife. "Are you happy living with her?"

"I'm happy," Sam said, rinsing off a fork. "But, as Brooke so kindly told you over dinner, my butt isn't so happy."

Karen laughed. "Sam, if I didn't know any better, I would swear Brooke gave birth to you. You sound just like her."

"Really?" Sam said. She never told anyone, but she often imagined what her life would have been like if Brooke had been her birth mom. "No one's ever told me that before. People always think that Chelsea is hers, because she's so happy all the time."

"Well, I've seen some sides to Brooke that other people aren't privy to," Karen said. "In high school, most people just saw the happy go lucky cheerleader and student body president Brooke Davis. But, as her surrogate mother, I saw her more vulnerable side. Which, by the way, she often tried to hide with sarcastic quips, not unlike you."

"Lucas told me that she got in trouble a lot when she was my age," Sam ventured. "I didn't know if it was true or if he was just trying to cheer me up."

"Well, I'm sure he was trying to cheer you up, but every word of it was true," Karen said, smiling at the girl as she accepted a freshly rinsed plate from her. "I'm pretty sure that in the year and a half she lived with me, I had to punish her almost as many times as I had to punish Lucas in the eighteen years he lived with me."

"I guess I really am like her then," Sam sighed. "Sometimes it feels like I've spent half of this past year standing up while restricted to the house."

"Why do you think that is?" Karen asked gently, setting down her dishtowel and turning to look at Sam.

Sam shrugged and looked down at her shoes. "I guess…I'm just still not used to anyone caring about me," she said quietly. "At all my old foster homes, I could sneak out at night and not come back for days, and no one would notice."

She turned off the faucet and sighed. "The first week I was with Brooke, I snuck out like I always did. I didn't do anything wrong; I just went for a walk. I got back right as the sun was coming up. I climbed through my window, and Brooke was in my bedroom, just pacing back and forth. She looked like she hadn't slept at all. Before I could do anything, she walked over and grabbed me in the biggest hug I think I'd ever gotten. I was so surprised I didn't even move. She held me for about a minute, and then she pulled away and looked at me. No one had ever given me a look like that before. She had tears in her eyes, and she looked scared and…furious. Before I knew what was happening, she yanked me over to the bed and threw me over her lap, and just started smacking my butt."

Sam let her voice trail off, and Karen placed a hand on her shoulder. "How did you feel about that?"

"I don't know," Sam mumbled, her face flushing slightly. "It kind of freaked me out, and it hurt, but…I guess in the end, it was better than being ignored. But after it happened, I figured it was just a fluke. No one had ever given a crap before, and I figured eventually Brooke wouldn't either. So I guess I just keep breaking the rules because…"

"You're trying to make Brooke give up on you?" Karen said interjected. When Sam didn't answer, she squeezed her shoulder lightly. "Come sit down with me, Sam," she said, leading the girl over to the chairs at the counter. "I think you just described exactly what happened between Brooke and me eight years ago. Every time she did something wrong and I punished her, it was like she was surprised. For a while I thought she was surprised because she didn't understand that the things she was doing were wrong. But after a few times, I realized that she was surprised that I cared about her doing something wrong."

"Sounds familiar," Sam said, giving Karen a weak smile.

"I thought it might," Karen said, reaching out her hand and placing it over Sam's. "I've got news for you, Samantha," she said seriously. "Brooke tried as hard as she could to make me quit caring about her, and you know what? It backfired on her every time. And I know Brooke Davis well enough to know that it's going to backfire on you every time, too. She's in it for the long haul. This whole family is in it for the long haul. You're stuck with us, kid, whether you like it or not."

Sam bit her lip and looked at Karen, tears glistening in her eyes. "Now I know why everyone was so excited to have you back," she said, smiling.

Karen returned the smile. "Well, I'm glad to be back, too," she said sincerely. "I'm glad to be back to get to know the newest members of my family." With that, she reached out and wrapped Sam in a warm embrace.

Sam returned the embrace, leaning her head on Karen's shoulder. She was reluctant to let go, but a wail from upstairs caused her to yank away quickly.

"That sounded like Jamie," she said, hurrying into the living room, Karen on her heels.

"Mama!" Jamie wailed, running down the stairs into Haley's arms. "They attacked me!"

"Baby, what do you mean they…oh," Haley said, looking down at his face in surprise. "Chelsea, Lily, get down here!"

The two little girls crept to the bottom of the staircase, trying to conceal their mischievous grins. "Yes, Aunt Haley?" Lily said sweetly.

"Have you been in my make-up?" Haley asked sternly.

"Hales, they don't look like they're wearing any make-up," Peyton said in confusion.

"They aren't," Haley said, turning Jamie around to face them. "He is."

Sam snorted with laughter at the sight of Jamie, who was covered in pink lipstick and purple eye shadow. "I'm sorry, Jamie," she said, trying to stop smiling. "I'm not laughing at you, I promise."

"Chelsea Lynn, what is this?" Brooke asked in astonishment.

"I could ask you the same question, young lady," Karen said, giving Lily a hard look.

"Beauty Parlor," the two girls chorused, looking quite pleased with themselves despite the admonishing looks surrounding them.

Jamie huffed buried his face in Haley's shirt. "This isn't what I meant when I said I wanted them to be friends," he grumbled.

Haley looked down sympathetically at her little boy before looking back up at the other women in the room. They all stared at each other for a second before bursting into peals of laughter.

"Oh baby," Haley said, rubbing Jamie's hair affectionately. "Welcome to being outnumbered by females."

**I seriously love Karen. I would cry happy tears if she made an appearance in the 9****th**** season of OTH. Coming up next: I'm not telling! You'll just have to leave me plenty of reviews with words of encouragement to make me write faster ;) **


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed! This next chapter was my most difficult one so far, so I hope that you appreciate it! If you have any suggestions; again, feel free to let me know! Just promise me you will read the AN at the bottom **

"Alright ladies, in exactly twenty minutes I want both of you in bed with your teeth brushed and your clothes laid out for tomorrow," Brooke said in a no-nonsense voice.

Her order was met with twin groans from Sam and Chelsea. "Mom, it's only 9:00," Sam complained. "I never go to bed before 10:30."

"Samantha, I do not need to remind you that tomorrow is the first day of school," Brooke said patiently. "And I also don't need to remind you that you have a tendency to be difficult in the mornings, particularly when you're just finishing up a vacation. So until I'm convinced that you're settled back into the school routine, you are having an early bedtime."

Sam gave a pout that made her look about seven years younger and seven times more adorable. But Brooke just raised her eyebrow and nodded toward the staircase.

"Come on, runt," Sam said with a sigh, taking Chelsea's hand and dragging her towards the stairs. "I'll help you pick out an outfit that will make you the coolest kid in first grade."

Despite Sam's annoyance, Brooke's decision to send her children to bed early proved to be a sound one the next morning. Even with the extra sleep, it took some gentle coaxing to get Chelsea out of bed, and a not-so-gentle threat of standing up for her first day of school to get Sam out of bed. By 8:00 am, all three of the Davis women were in the car and heading over to Lucas's house. Chelsea was dressed in a white and black baby doll dress with black leggings and bouncing out of her booster seat with excitement. Sam was listening to her iPod in the front seat, dressed in her most worn pair of skinny jeans and a black top with silver graffiti that Brooke had designed especially for her.

Brooke noted with chagrin that she was the last of the parents to arrive at Lucas's house. Lucas was sitting on the porch swing with Peyton, and the protective arm he had over her shoulder made it obvious that he was trying to prevent her from getting up and playing with the kids. Lily was standing on the lawn, gabbing away happily to Karen, while Haley was fussing over Jamie, making sure he had everything in his backpack. Nathan was busy rolling his eyes and telling Haley to relax, while Andy was circling around everyone and snapping pictures.

"Lily!" Chelsea squealed with delight, running over to her new best friend. "Do you like my dress? Sissy helped me pick it out!"

"It's pretty! Aunt Peyton helped me with my outfit," Lily said proudly, twirling around and showing off her denim skirt and red top.

"You guys promised you weren't going to talk about girl stuff anymore," Jamie whined, tugging uncomfortably at the collar of his polo shirt.

"Sorry, Jamie," the girls chorused, eliciting a laugh from all of the adults currently present. After the infamous make-up incident a few weeks ago, both girls had been given a stern lecture on how to treat people, plus a warning swat from their respective mothers. The message had clearly sunk in, because since that night the three kids had become completely inseparable. However, Jamie did still have to remind the girls occasionally that he, as a boy, was not interested in dolls and clothes.

"Alright," Peyton yelled, pushing Lucas's arm off of her shoulders and rising to her feet. "I want a picture of Lucas and I with our nieces and nephew before you guys go off to school! And no one had better argue with me because I'm moody and I'm craving pickles," she added, sending a glare towards Lucas.

"Fine, one picture," Lucas said grudgingly. "But after that, your ass is getting back in bed. And if you go without complaint, I might go out and buy you some pickles."

"Quit bickering, you two," Andy ordered, herding all the kids toward the porch steps. The three little ones stood on the bottom step in a line, while Sam was placed on the top step next to Peyton.

"I better see a smile, Samantha," Haley said jokingly. "Your class with me begins in less than two hours, and I expect you to be chipper and willing to learn."

Sam scowled at her, but finally gave a small smile after Peyton elbowed her in the side. Once the picture had been snapped and the younger kids had gone to gather up their backpacks, Peyton leaned in to give Sam a hug.

"Have a good day, kid," she said warmly. "And stop by the house as soon as you're done with school. Lucas has a meeting with his editor, so we should be able to work on our surprise in peace."

Sam gave her a genuine smile as she pulled out of the hug. "Thanks, Aunt Peyton. I'll see you later."

Two later, Sam was indeed sitting in Haley's class, but she was far from chipper. Not just because she was bummed that summer was finally over, but because Haley had just ordered her to stay after class. Sam knew that her aunt was extremely pissed at her, and it was all that stupid redhead's fault. She found her thoughts drifting off as she tried to remember how exactly she had gotten herself in so much trouble…

**Flashback**

_Sam had just finished putting her math book away in her locker when she felt someone breathing down her neck. She turned around warily and found herself face to face with a redheaded girl she had never seen before, who was dressed rather provocatively and giving her a look of scorn._

"_Can I help you?" Sam asked warily, closing her locker and raising her eyebrow at the strange girl._

_The girl gave a laugh that was even more fake than the breast implants she was so clearly sporting. "Oh honey, I think I'm the one that can help you. I'm Rachel Harris. I just moved here from Raleigh."_

"_Uh huh," Sam said, feeling a little weirded out. "Well, whatever this sage advice is that you have, could you tell me on my way to English class?" she asked, starting down the hall towards Haley's classroom. _

_Instead of being deterred by Sam's obvious indifference, the girl sauntered down the hall next to her. "Here's the thing, sweetie. I heard a little rumor that you were planning on trying out for cheerleading this fall."_

_Sam shot the girl a look of confusion. "How'd you know that? And more importantly, what's it to you?" Sam hadn't told anyone except Peyton and Haley that she was going out for cheerleading. She had thought about it at the end of last school year, and Peyton and Haley both had been coaching her sporadically throughout the summer. Sam knew how much Brooke had loved cheerleading back in high school, and she was hoping to make the team as a surprise for her mother._

"_I have my ways," Rachel replied smoothly. "Anyways, I just wanted to tell you not to even bother. I wouldn't want to see you humiliate yourself."_

_Sam bristled in irritation. "And what makes you think I would humiliate myself?" _

"_Well, for one thing, I'll be trying out as well," Rachel said with a smirk. "I was the only freshman on the varsity squad at my old school, and I fully intend to be the captain of the Ravens before next year. Besides, honey," she added, her smirk becoming slightly evil. "I read the tabloids. And to be honest with you, seeing Brooke Davis's orphan charity case choking during tryouts would be about as sad as that outfit you're wearing."_

_Sam didn't even hesitate before slapping the girl across the face as hard as she could. "We'll see who ends up choking!" she yelled furiously, shoving a shocked Rachel into the nearest locker._

"_SAMANTHA DAVIS!" Haley shouted, coming out of her classroom to see what the commotion was about. "What in the world do you think you're doing, young lady?"_

_Sam's eyes widened in fear, and she immediately let go of Rachel's low cut top. Rachel, in turn, massaged the back of her neck, and said with a scowl, "Well, guess your upper class adoptive mommy has had a resounding impact on your manners."_

_Haley turned an ice cold glare on the new girl. "Whatever class you are supposed to be terrorizing right now, I suggest you get to it," she said dangerously. Rachel huffed and flounced off, leaving a furious Haley and a terrified Samantha._

"_As for you, young lady," Haley said, turning her glare on Sam. "You stay after class. You and I need to have a little talk."_

_Sam gulped and meekly followed her angry aunt/teacher into the classroom._

**End Flashback**

The sound of the bell snapped Sam out of her thoughts, and her heart sank as she realized she was about to be alone with Haley.

"Don't forget, I want chapters 1-4 of _The Great Gatsby _read by Monday," Haley called to her quickly departing students. Within a matter of seconds, it was just her and Sam left in the small classroom.

Haley regarded the frightened looking teenager in front of her for a moment, before standing up and walking around to the front of her desk.

"Come have a seat, Samantha," she said coolly, placing a chair in front of her desk. Sam warily walked to the front of the class, every instinct she had telling her to flight instead of fight.

When the teen was seated, Haley gave her a hard look and asked, "You want to tell me what the hell I saw out in the hallway?"

All of Sam's emotions had been building up during class, and before she could stop herself, she found herself babbling a series of excuses and apologies to Haley.

"I'm sorry!" she said pleadingly. "I've never even met that girl before, and I was at my locker, and she came up to me and started insulting me! She called me an orphan charity case! And…"

"I know," Haley interrupted, pulling up another chair and sitting down across from Sam. "I heard what she said to you. I was standing by the door. And believe me, that is the only reason why I am not enacting my right as a North Carolina teacher to paddle you right now."

As Sam blushed a fiery red, Haley reached out her hand and placed it on Sam's knee in a comforting gesture.

"I know what she said hurt your feelings," Haley said gently. "Believe me, I have more than enough experience with bitchy, slutty, redheaded cheerleaders named Rachel to know that you were somewhat justified in slapping her. But Sam, this is a school, and fighting is never acceptable, no matter what the circumstances."

"I know," Sam said softly. "I'm really sorry. Are you gonna tell Mom?" she asked nervously.

"No," Haley said softly. "Only because I think if I told her what that girl Rachel said, she might be thrown in jail for homicide."

Sam grinned in relief, and Haley returned the smile before drawing her eyebrows together in a frown. "But Samantha, if I ever catch you fighting on school property again, I swear to you I will whip your butt harder than your mother ever has," she said sternly.

Sam nodded furiously. "Yes ma'am," she said, knowing full well that Haley was absolutely serious with her threat.

"Good girl," Haley said, giving her a quick hug and then rising to her feet. "Come on, I'll write you a note for your next class. Don't forget, your mom has a meeting today, so meet me in here after school and I'll drive you home."

"I know," Sam said, taking Haley's quickly jotted note. "See you later, Aunt Haley. And thanks."

"That's Mrs. Scott," Haley said teasingly. "And you're welcome."

Fortunately for Sam, Haley was not going to have to carry out her previous threat, at least not that day. The rest of Sam's first day as a sophomore went really well. She had the same lunch period as all of her friends, and she ended up getting assigned a really hot basketball player as her biology partner. She bounced towards Haley's classroom as the final bell rang, eager to tell her aunt about her day. But as she rounded the corner, the sight of someone unexpected stopped her in her tracks.

"Uncle Nathan?" she said curiously, approaching the dark haired man standing outside Haley's classroom. "What are you doing here?"

Nathan cleared his throat, not really looking at Sam. "I'm here to pick you up," he said in a monotone voice. "Peyton had the baby."

Sam gasped in delight. "Oh my gosh! I can't believe it! Isn't it a little early? Boy or girl? What's its name?" she asked excitedly.

"A girl," Nathan said softly. "Her name is Sawyer Brooke Scott. And yes, it was early."

"Well, come on, Uncle Nathan. I know you wanted a nephew, but there's no reason to sound so depressed," Sam said with a grin. "Can we go see her? How's Aunt Peyton?"

Nathan met Sam's eyes then, and Sam noticed with alarm that his eyes were bloodshot. "Uncle Nathan, have you been crying?" she asked uncertainly.

Nathan took a deep breath. "Sam," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "The baby came early because Peyton got sick. Your Uncle Lucas went to grocery store, and when he came back…he found her passed out on the floor. She…" he stopped, unable to find the right words to continue.

Sam's face went white with horror. "Don't," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears as she looked at Nathan. "Please don't."

"Baby, she's gone," Nathan choked out, his own eyes spilling over with fresh tears. "They did everything they could, but…"

"No!" Sam screamed, ripping herself away from his grip. "No, she's not gone! She's not! She…"

Nathan reached out and caught Sam as she sank to the floor in despair. Time seemed to slow down, and all of the other students and activity surrounding the pair disappeared as they shared in their grief together.

**AN: Okay-****First of all, I am not anti-Peyton, or even anti-Leyton. I love Hilarie Burton, and I think Peyton is an interesting character who is good for both Lucas and Brooke in a lot of ways. My decision to kill off Peyton was not out of hatred for the character, or a desire to see Lucas or any other character suffer. And in fact, when I first adopted this story, I had zero intention of killing off Peyton.**

**That being said, I have always preferred Brucas to Leyton. I thought that while Peyton and Lucas may have been soul mates, Brooke brought out a lighter, happier side of Lucas that I really loved seeing. When I wrote the fifth chapter of this story, I realized what amazing potential Lucas had to be a great dad to both Sam and Chelsea, and I decided that I wanted to explore what would happen if he had an opportunity to be their father. I didn't think, with all of their history, that it would be plausible for Lucas to leave Peyton for Brooke. So, I ultimately made the decision to have Peyton die in childbirth.**

**So, to answer the question of who Brooke's love interest will be, I can now say with guarantee that it will be Lucas. However, it's going to take some time, and I hope you're all willing to stick around with me and watch as they go from grieving friends to a couple in love. I will be paying tribute to Peyton in various places throughout the story, such as with Sam and the cheerleading tryouts. If any of you are angry, however, I ask that you express your anger politely. I think that I wrote Peyton's death pretty well. I cried as I was writing it, and I really would not appreciate mean reviews that would make me cry even more. **

**Thanks! Now you can resume whatever you were doing before reading this AN.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed and to everyone who hasn't given up on me after the heartbreak of the last chapter. I know I usually update a little bit sooner, but it took me awhile to figure out where I wanted to pick the story up from and what emotional place I wanted the characters to be in. I want to reassure everyone that even though Brooke and Lucas are now going to end up together, this fic is not going to turn into a romance. It has and always will be about Brooke as a mother, and what her children go through. There will be some Brucas, but that will always be the secondary focus. Just a warning, this is a fairly intense chapter. It would have been pretty unrealistic to have everyone just bounce back after Peyton's death. But I promise, this is as intense as it will get, and after this chapter, people will start to move on. Enjoy!**

Sam woke up with a start, her heart pounding and her face soaked in a nervous sweat. She drew a shaky breath, and started to lean over to get a drink of water, when she bumped into someone lying next to her. She glanced down with a look of surprise, which soon changed to sympathy as she realized that Chelsea was curled up in her bed for the fourth time that week, her thumb in her mouth and her stuffed lamb clutched in her free arm. Sam got up and got her drink of water, then slid back into bed, putting her arm protectively around her little sister. "_Someone has to protect her," _she thought sadly. "_Mom sure isn't doing a great job of it_."

It had been three weeks since her Aunt Peyton had been ripped away from their family, and everyone's emotional wounds were still open and raw. Lucas hadn't left his house since the funeral. He spent all of his time taking care of Sawyer, rarely putting her down as though he was afraid she would leave him, too. Nathan, Haley, Karen, and Andy had all taken turns staying with him and going shopping, making sure that Sawyer's needs were met and that Lucas didn't forget to take care of himself. Sam was desperate to spend more time with her beloved uncle and make sure he was alright, but Brooke's behavior made it difficult to do so.

Sam would never forget the first time she saw her mother after Peyton's death. Nathan had driven the young girl to his house, where everyone was gathering since Lucas was still at the hospital with Sawyer. Sam had burst through the front door, wanting nothing more than to run straight into her mother's arms. But when she saw Brooke sitting on the couch, she stopped cold. The woman sitting there looked like her mother, but it…wasn't her. Brooke's warm hazel eyes were cold and lifeless, and although she was looking at Sam, it was like she was seeing right through her.

"_Mom?" Sam had said timidly, taking a cautious step toward the couch. Brooke stared at her daughter for a moment, but turned her head away._

"_Go play with your sister," Brooke said, her voice sounding almost robotic and completely devoid of emotion. Sam looked up at Nathan in confusion and hurt. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle kiss on top of the head, before nodding at her to go find Chelsea._

Sam felt a tear slip down her cheek and onto Chelsea's soft black hair. Since that horrible day, Brooke's behavior had barely changed at all. She still fed her daughters, made them take baths, ordered them to clean up their rooms, and got them to school on time. But the questions about how their day had gone, the warm hugs and the tender goodnight kisses had all disappeared. It was like losing Peyton had drained her ability to feel any positive emotion whatsoever. Brooke's attitude since Peyton's death had frightened Chelsea so much that she came running to her sister every time she had a problem. Sam assumed that this particular evening, the little girl had suffered from a nightmare, and run to her sissy's bed seeking comfort. Something that Sam could completely understand, since she had woken up from a nightmare, too. She had been waking up from nightmares every night, in fact.

Sam sighed and wiped her eyes, not wanting to wake Chelsea with her tears. Besides, she had to get back to sleep. Tomorrow was the final day of cheerleading auditions, and she had to be perfect. She wasn't just trying to make the squad for Brooke anymore, although she was secretly hopefully that making the squad might make her mom happy enough that she started to snap out of it. No, she had to make the squad for Aunt Peyton, who had worked so hard to get her prepared for her tryout. Sam wanted her to be proud, wherever she was now.

The next day, Karen picked up Lily and Chelsea from school and drove them to her house, just as she had for the past three weeks. She usually picked up Jamie as well, but Nathan had picked him up early for a dentist appointment. Before school had started, the mothers of the three younger children had worked out a schedule for after school care for their brood, but Karen had noticed that Brooke was not dealing with Peyton's grief as well as she should. As far as Karen knew, the young woman hadn't even cried yet. So until Brooke started to deal with her pain, Karen had subtly volunteered to take all the younger kids every day until dinner time. Sometimes she took them over to see Lucas, who, though still in a bad place in terms of his own grief, felt his heart lightened a bit each time he saw his nieces and nephew.

As Karen set the girls down at the kitchen table with milk and freshly made chocolate chip cookies, she wrinkled her brow in concern as she looked over Chelsea. The tiny girl, who was usually so full of life and exuberance, seemed tired and pale, almost fragile even. Karen wasn't surprised to see a change in the child, considering that Lily had been decidedly more subdued since the funeral, but she was a little alarmed at the drastic level of change she saw.

"Lily," Karen said, as her daughter chugged down the last of her milk. "Why don't you go in the living room and put on some cartoons, okay? I'd like to talk to Chelsea."

"Okay, Mama," Lily said agreeably, giving Chelsea a tiny smile as she left the room. Lily was only six, but she too realized that something was wrong with Chelsea, and she knew her Mama could fix it. Mama could fix anything.

Chelsea looked at Karen, her eyes full of confusion. Karen smiled at the little girl, and sat down on the chair next to her.

"Chelsea, you seem pretty tired," she said gently, reaching her hand out and stroking the girl's hair. "Are you feeling alright?"

Chelsea shrugged, looking down at her hands, which she had folded tightly in her lap. "I'm fine," she whispered.

"You don't seem fine, sweetheart," Karen prodded. "Have you been having trouble sleeping at night?"

Chelsea looked up at her, surprised that this woman she had known for such a short period of time was so insightful. She nodded slowly, biting her lip to stop it from trembling.

"Have you been having nightmares?"

Chelsea's lower lip slowly protruded as she nodded again, tears filling her brown eyes. "I miss Aunt Peyton," she whimpered, unable to stop the tears from rolling down her face.

"Oh baby, I miss her too," Karen said softly, picking Chelsea up and holding her on her lap. "It's okay to miss her, sweetheart. But if you're having nightmares and not sleeping, you need to talk to someone. Have you told your Mama about this?"

Chelsea shook her head more vigorously this time, burying her face in Karen's shirt. "Mama don't care anymore," she mumbled, her voice muffled against the cotton fabric.

"Sweetheart, of course she cares!" Karen said, her voice filled with shock as she titled Chelsea's face up toward hers. "Your Mama loves you and your sister more than anything in the world."

"Not anymore," Chelsea sniffled, rubbing her eyes with her fist. "She don't smile at me anymore, and she don't hug us, or kiss us, and she don't read me night-night stories. I tried to ask her 'bout Aunt Peyton and heaven once, and she yelled at me to go to my room."

Karen said nothing for a moment as she hugged Chelsea tighter to her body. She was torn between wanting to go over to Brooke's house and hold her surrogate daughter much like she was holding her surrogate grandchild, and wanting to go over there and beat some sense into her behind. Karen knew how close Brooke and Peyton had been, and she knew that next to Lucas, Brooke was probably in the most pain out of any of them. However, she couldn't help but be furious at Brooke for allowing her grief to get so out of control that she would hurt her own children. Brooke knew better than anyone what it was like to be neglected and ignored by her parents, and Karen was beyond put out that she would allow Sam and Chelsea to feel unloved for even a fraction of a second.

"Honey, I want you to listen to me," Karen said carefully, brushing Chelsea's hair back from her tear-stained face. "When people lose someone they love, like we lost Aunt Peyton, sometimes they forget that they still have other people to love. They miss that one person so much, that they forget all the other special people in their life. Your Mama hasn't stopped caring about you, Chelsea. She just…forgot about caring for a little while. But I promise you, we're going to remind her, okay?"

Chelsea looked up at Karen, her eyes shining with tears and a glimmer of hope. "Will Mama kiss me again?" she asked softly.

"Yes," Karen said reassuringly, thinking to herself that if Brooke didn't start kissing this child, she would be kissing the floor while Karen paddled her butt. "And don't forget, there are lots of other people to give you kisses, too. You have Sam, Uncle Nathan and Aunt Haley, and Uncle Andy and me."

"I love you, Aunt Karen," Chelsea said, snuggling up to the older woman.

"I love you, too," Karen said tenderly, giving Chelsea the promised kiss on top of the head. "Now, what do you say we go watch some cartoons with Lily? I'll take you home a little early today so I can talk to your Mama."

As promised, Karen drove Chelsea home around 5:30, feeling pleased as she heard Chelsea chattering away in the backseat to Lily. She only hoped that she could keep her promise to the little girl, and manage to talk some sense into Brooke. She had been wracking her brain all afternoon for just the right words to say for the emotionally devoid young woman she thought of as her daughter.

When Karen opened the front door of the Davis house, however, she was met with a Brooke who looked anything but emotionally devoid. In fact, she looked more furious than Karen had ever seen her.

"Is she with you?" Brooke demanded, storming over to where Karen stood and looking over her shoulder.

"Chelsea? Of course she is, she's right…"

"Not Chelsea, Samantha," Brooke interrupted. "She knows she is supposed to come home after school to get dinner started and to watch her sister. I swear to God, when I get my hands on her…"

"Okay, Brooke, let's not jump to conclusions," Karen said, a little perturbed at the anger flashing in Brooke's eyes. "I'm sure Sam isn't doing anything wrong. She's probably studying with friends, or maybe she had to stay after school."

"Oh, and that's supposed to make it all better?" Brooke said sarcastically. "I should calm down because she might be in detention? If that's where she is, she is going to be in a world of trouble. I warned her about getting in trouble in school like she did last year, and I…"

"Mom!" Sam called, running into the still open front door. "I'm sorry I'm late, but…"

"Where the HELL have you been?" Brooke yelled, shoving her way past Karen and the younger girls and approaching her eldest with a menacing look in her eyes. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Sam took a step back and shot a nervous glance over towards Karen. "I know I'm supposed to come home straight after school, but I…"

"But what?" Brooke screeched, closing the gap between them. "I don't care where you were and what you were doing! There is no excuse for not coming home on time, young lady! I give you a roof over your head, clothes, and food, anything you ask for. And all I ask for in return is that you come home and help me out a little. Since when do you think you're allowed to be so irresponsible?"

"Irresponsible?" Sam said incredulously. "I've been nothing but responsible but lately! I've been taking care of myself, taking care of Chelsea, cleaning, everything! You're the one who's being irresponsible! You've barely even looked at us since Aunt Peyton…"

Brooke's eyes narrowed dangerously, and before anyone in the room knew what was happening, she had grabbed Sam by the arm, yanked her toward her, and smacked her so hard on the rear end that the sound reverberated through the house.

"How DARE…don't you EVER…say something like that…," Brooke couldn't even form a cohesive thought, she was so angry. But before she could bring down her hand a second time, she felt an iron clad grip close around her wrist.

"BROOKE PENELOPE DAVIS!"

Karen's glare and tone were so icy, they actually sent chills down Brooke's spine, and for a second she loosened her hold enough that Sam was able to pull away. The teenager gave her mother a look that was a combination of hurt, fear and fury. Sam reached into her bag and pulled something out. Throwing it across the room, she turned and fled to her bedroom.

"Samantha Nicole!" Brooke yelled, starting to go after her.

"You stay right where you are," Karen ordered, tightening her grip on Brooke's arm. She looked around, and noticed the guest bedroom across from the kitchen. "Actually, you get in there and wait for me."

Brooke stared at her in shock. "Are you serious?"

"You bet I am," Karen ground out, giving Brooke a little push toward the bedroom. "Go. Now."

Brooke's expression changed from ferocious to the same bland expression she had been sporting since Peyton died. She turned and went slowly to the bedroom, and Karen waited until she had closed the door before turning to the little girls. Chelsea's lower lip was quivering, and Lily's eyes were opened so wide, they looked like they might pop out of her head.

"Girls," Karen said softly, kneeling on the floor in front of them. "I need to talk to Brooke for a little bit, okay? Can you go play up in Chelsea's room for a while? Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise. I just need to talk with Brooke so she feels better."

Both of the girls nodded, and Lily took Chelsea's hand and started to pull her upstairs. "I hope Aunt Brooke doesn't sass Mama," she whispered conspiratorially. "She has her spankin' face on."

Karen overheard her daughter's comment, and while it ordinarily would have struck her as funny, she knew that Lily's words weren't exactly inaccurate. Karen was so determined to put an end to this nonsense that she would spank Brooke, if that's what it took. She really and truly hoped it didn't come to that, though. She sighed, and went over to the guest room.

Opening the door, she was frustrated to find Brooke sitting on the edge of the bed, staring emotionlessly at the wall like nothing had happened. She saw a chair sitting over by the wall, and she dragged it over to the bed, sitting down in it so she was face to face with Brooke.

"Brooke," Karen began, "I know that you're in a lot of pain right now, which is why I haven't said anything before this. I wanted to give you some space to heal in your own way, but your girls are hurting. You've been neglecting them, and they need their mother."

"I haven't been neglecting anybody," Brooke said, without a bit of defensiveness. "I've been feeding them and taking them to school."

"There is more to being a mother than feeding your children, Brooke," Karen said, a little hint of steel coming through her voice. "You know that better than anyone."

"The girls are fine," Brooke said, sounding a little too unconcerned for Karen's taste.

"Really?" Karen said, raising an eyebrow. "Did you know that Chelsea has been having nightmares? She's been waking up in the middle of the night, scared to death from losing her Aunt Peyton, and Sam has been taking care of her, since you've apparently been too preoccupied to do it. Haley says that Sam has been looking exhausted in all of her classes, probably because she's been picking up the slack for you."

"I've had things to do," Brooke said tightly.

"No, I don't think you have," Karen said sharply. "I don't think you've been doing anything. I don't think you've been doing your job as a mother, and I certainly don't think you've been dealing with your grief. You've stopped caring about your friends, your girls…I think you've even stopped caring about Peyton."

Brooke stopped staring at the wall, and turned a stunned glare toward Karen. "How dare you accuse me of something like that?" she hissed. "Peyton was my best friend in the entire world. She meant everything to me, and you're accusing me of not caring about her?"

"And how do you think Peyton would feel about how you've been acting?" Karen challenged. "How do you think she would feel, knowing that when she died, she left three little girls without a mother instead of one? Do you think that would make her proud to be your friend, Brooke? Do you think that would make her happy? Because I'll tell you something, young lady, she would be as ashamed of you as I am!"

"Don't you dare tell me how Peyton would feel!" Brooke yelled, jumping to her feet and storming towards the door. But Karen was quicker, and she grabbed Brooke's shoulder and turned her around, leaving barely two inches of space between them.

"Brooke," Karen said firmly, placing her hands on both of Brooke's shoulders. "I know how much you miss Peyton. I know that for many years, she was the only person in your life who gave a damn, and I know that her death has left a tremendous hole in your heart. But you are not the only one who has lost someone. Lucas is raising a newborn on his own. I've lost my future daughter in law. Samantha and Chelsea and the rest of the kids have lost their aunt. We will all miss Peyton forever, but sooner or later, we have to let her go."

Brooke shook her head wildly. "No," she whispered. "I will not let her go."

"Brooke," Karen said gently. "Peyton is gone. She's not coming back. But the rest of us are still here, and we need you. So let her go."

Brooke stared at her for a moment, her eyes full of an emotion Karen couldn't quite place. But all of a sudden, Brooke's face crumpled, and she fell to her knees as she began to sob.

"Peyton," she choked out, burying her face in her hands. "Oh my god, Peyton!"

Karen let out a huge sigh of relief through her own tears, and she sank to the floor next to Brooke.

"Okay," she whispered, wrapping her arms around the young woman and holding her tight. "Just let it out. Just let her go."

A half hour later, Brooke's tears were spent, and she was leaning against Karen's shoulder as the older women stroked her hair.

"I've really screwed up, haven't I?" Brooke whispered, her thoughts drifting to her daughters for the first time in weeks. "The girls must hate me now."

"They do not hate you," Karen chided. "They miss you, and they need you. You just need to talk to them as soon as possible, so your relationship doesn't sustain any more damage."

"I've never gotten so angry at Sam," Brooke murmured. "I've never spanked her in anger before, either. And after all I've put her through these past few weeks…"

"She will forgive you," Karen said gently. "But you need to go talk to her. Why don't you go on up there, and I'll fix Chelsea and Lily something to eat?"

Brooke nodded slowly, allowing Karen to help her to her feet. They left the guest bedroom, and as they headed through the living room, a wad of clothing on the floor caught Brooke's eye.

"What is this?" she said, leaning over to pick it up. When she realized what she was holding, she felt her heart skip a beat.

"It's a cheerleading uniform," she said softly. "Sam…she must have gone out for the squad. That's why…oh no, Karen," she said, giving the other woman an almost pleading look.

"It'll be alright," Karen said, giving Brooke a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. "Now you just have something else to be proud of her about. Just make sure she knows that."

With another nod, Brooke trudged up the stairs, and knocked softly on Sam's bedroom. When there was no answer, she opened the door slowly. Her heart was practically in her throat, she was so ashamed to speak to her daughter, but it quickly sank to the bottom of her stomach. It only took her a few seconds to assess that the bedroom was empty, and the window was open. Sam was gone.

**Whew, that was even more intense to write than the last chapter! Btw, if anyone is interested in what Chelsea looks like, check out a photo on of Ariel Gade, the little girl in the movie Dark Water. I thought that kid was adorable, and she makes the perfect Chelsea in my mind. Coming up next: Healing! I promise! No anger, no punishments, no yelling. Just comfort and mending of relationships, and hopefully the next few chapters will have some lighter stuff. Hope you guys enjoyed-please take the time to review if you get a chance!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi everyone! Be sure to check out the banner in my profile for this story that vballr217 surprised me with-it's awesome! As promised, this chapter contains no yelling or punishments, and just the barest hint of anger. There are also plenty of tears, but they're cleansing tears, so it's all good. Please read and review, and enjoy!**

The air was thick and heavy with the last of the summer rain as Lucas made his way across the grass of Tree Hill Cemetery. With the combination of the humidity, the baby girl asleep in the sling across his chest, and the weight of grief in his heart, he felt like he might collapse before even making it to his destination. But, as Lucas reminded himself, he had already completed the hard part: leaving his house. Getting in the car. Making the drive. Just a few steps more and the worst would be over…he hoped.

Since the funeral, Lucas hadn't set foot outside the four walls of his house. He had been depending on his mother and brother to do all the grocery shopping for him. It wasn't that he was emotionally incapable of leaving his home. For someone who had just lost the love of his life, Lucas was processing his grief somewhat well. He hadn't felt helpless, or suicidal, or anything else that might have concerned his worried family.

What he had been, however, was an extremely hands-on, overprotective father. In the three weeks since her mother's death, Sawyer had spent approximately forty eight hours total in her crib, and that was only because Karen had either insisted Lucas take a shower or she had slipped him a sleeping pill. Lucas had insisted on feeding the baby, changing her, and bathing her all by himself, and he rocked her constantly. He never let her cry without holding her in his arms, reassuring her that Daddy was there and that everything would be alright. He didn't want to leave the house because he didn't want to leave his beautiful little girl, and he certainly didn't want to expose her to the pain the outside world could cause.

But as he had rocked Sawyer this afternoon, the baby had opened her eyes…Peyton's eyes…and looked up at him. She had, of course, opened her eyes before, but there was something about this particular look that hit Lucas over the head like an anvil. It was like Peyton was speaking to him through their daughter's eyes, telling him that it would be alright. For the first time in weeks, Lucas felt a pull to go see his beloved fiancé's final resting place.

As he got closer to Peyton's grave, he was surprised to see that someone was already there. A lone figure that he couldn't recognize was slumped against the headstone, and from the sound of it, was sobbing their heart out. Lucas quickened his pace, wondering whether it was a member of his family or some drunk stranger, and frankly, not sure which one he would prefer. He approached the crying mourner, and leaned down to see who was hiding under the bulky black hoodie.

"Sam?" he said in surprise, kneeling down to his niece's level. "What are you doing here?"

Sam jerked as he spoke to her, looking startled and slightly angry. "Why shouldn't I be here?" she practically spat out. "God, is the whole world against me being sad about Aunt Peyton?"

"Sam, that's not what I meant," Lucas said, shaking his head a bit to try and regain his perspective. "I just wondered why you were out here alone."

Sam turned away from his, staring off into the distance. "I'm alone because I don't have anyone anymore," she said, almost inaudibly.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Lucas asked incredulously. "You have your mom. You have your sister, and all of your aunts and uncles, and…"

"No I don't!" she cried, startling baby Sawyer from a deep sleep. "Mom doesn't care about me anymore! She's barely talked to me since…and she hit me today!"

"Wait, she hit you?" Lucas asked, thinking there had to be some mistake.

"Well…she spanked me, but she did it when she was mad," Sam said, her face contorted in sadness. "She got mad because I came home late. I made the cheerleading squad today, and I was so happy to tell her. I thought it would make her proud, and I knew it would have made Aunt Peyton proud," she explained, tears streaming down her face. "Mom has been ignoring us since the funeral, and I thought today would make it better. But she just smacked me before I even had the chance to explain. So I ran away. Uncle Lucas…I don't think she loves me anymore," she confessed, leaning back against the cold marble headstone.

"Sammi," Lucas breathed, reaching out and taking the young girl's face in his hands. "Your mom could never stop loving you. You've got to trust me on that. I'm a dad now, and I know how much a parent loves their child. Especially one as wonderful as you."

Sam looked into her Uncle's warm blue eyes, and her lip trembled at his sincere words. She hoped against all hope that he was right, but it still didn't take all of her pain away. "Why did Aunt Peyton have to leave?" she whispered, almost pleadingly.

Luke's own eyes filled with tears, and he drew his niece's head to his shoulder. "Oh baby, I don't know," he choked, closing his eyes tightly. "I've been asking God that same question every night since he took her away from me."

"I feel like he didn't just take her," Sam said, her voice muffled against his shirt. "It's like…with her gone, all the good is gone from our family. Nobody's happy anymore."

Lucas took a shaky breath and pulled Sam's face up toward his. "I'm not gonna lie to you, Sammi. She did take a lot with her. She took a lot of our joy, and all the laughter that she gave us. But she left a lot of it, too. Just look at you, making the cheerleading squad. I know she would have been so happy, and she would have been at every game to cheer you on. And she left me Sawyer. And as mad as I am at her for leaving me, I am so grateful to her for our beautiful baby girl."

Sam looked down at the baby, seeing her up close for the first time. "She really looks like Aunt Peyton," she whispered softly. "Can I hold her?"

"Tell you what," Lucas said, standing up and offering her a hand. "You can hold her after we get back to your house. I think we need to have a talk with your mom."

Sam's eyes widened in uncertainty. "I don't know if I can," she said nervously. "She was so mad."

"I'll be there with you the whole time," Lucas promised, helping her to her feet.

"But…don't you want to visit Aunt Peyton? I mean, isn't that why you came here?"

"Now that I've come, I can visit her anytime," Lucas said, guiding Sam back across the cemetery. "Besides, I've got the best part of her right here," he added, placing a tender kiss on top of Sawyer's head.

Meanwhile, back at the Davis residence, Brooke, who had not allowed herself any emotions over the past weeks, now had so many emotions that she felt like she was going to spontaneously combust. The minute she realized Sam wasn't in her room, she ran to Chelsea's room and burst in without knocking.

"Chelsea, do you know where your sister is?" she asked frantically, walking briskly towards the two girls.

Chelsea dropped the doll she was playing with and looked up at her mother with wide eyes. "No, Mama," she said, her voice trembling a little.

"Do you have any idea…?" Brooke stopped walking as she saw Chelsea shrink back a little and give Lily a scared look. She winced inwardly, hating herself for making her little one afraid of her. As worried as she was about Sam, she knew she needed to take a few minutes to reassure her little girl. She took a deep breath, and sat down on the floor across from her daughter.

"Chelsea…Mama's sorry she hasn't been very nice lately," she began tentatively. "And I promise, later we're going to talk about it, and Mama's going to make it up to you. But right now, I need to find your sister. Are you sure you don't know where she is?"

Chelsea shook her head no. "Is Sammi still in trouble?" she asked warily.

"No Baby, she's not in trouble," Brooke assured her. "She was never really in trouble. Mama was…I was mad at someone else, not Sam."

Chelsea looked at her with less trepidation. "Were you mad at Aunt Peyton?" she asked innocently.

Brooke drew a sharp breath, surprised at how perceptive her six year old was. "Yes, Baby, I was mad at Aunt Peyton," she admitted softly. "But now I'm more sad than mad. And I'm sad about how I've been treating you and your sister. Can you forgive me?"

Chelsea stole another glance over at Lily, who attempted to give her a subtle nod, but ended up shaking her head in excitement. "Will you kiss me again?" Chelsea asked quietly.

Brooke's eyes misted over with tears. "Oh Baby, I'll kiss you as often as you want," she promised, holding her arms wide open. Chelsea ran to her mother, and Brooke enveloped her in a hug, kissing her all over her cheeks and the top of her head. She breathed in Chelsea's scent, a mixture of baby powder and watermelon scented shampoo, and thanked God that she was lucky enough to have a child so young and easily forgiving. She couldn't help but worry that Sam wouldn't be as anxious and willing as Chelsea to receive a hug from her.

She kissed Chelsea one last time, and then leaned back; giving her daughter the best smile she could muster under the circumstances. "Honey, I need to go and look for Sam, okay? Do you think you could stay here with Aunt Karen and Lily? I'll ask Aunt Karen to make you whatever you want for dinner."

Chelsea crinkled her nose in consideration, and then turned to Lily. "Does Aunt Karen know how to make chicken fingers?" she asked concernedly.

"Yup, she makes real good chicken fingers," Lily said with a grin.

Brooke rolled her eyes while Chelsea was looking away. Karen had studied cooking in Italy, for heaven's sake, and her six year old wanted the culinary genius to make chicken fingers for her. "Chicken fingers it is," she said, standing to her feet with Chelsea in her arms. "Come on, Lil, let's go downstairs."

Forty five minutes later, Lily and Chelsea were munching on chicken fingers at the kitchen island. Karen was checking in with Andy, who had been dispatched along with Nathan to search the streets of Tree Hill, as Karen didn't trust Brooke to drive in her emotional state. Brooke was sitting in the living room, going through her address book and calling every number she had belonging to Sam's friends.

"That's okay, Jack," Brooke said, trying to mask the desperation in her voice. "Just let me know if you hear anything from her, okay? Bye."

She hung up the phone with a sigh, dragging her fingers through her usually immaculate hair in frustration. "That's the last number I had," she said vacantly.

Karen came over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Brooke, honey, it's going to be…"

She was interrupted by a knock at the door, which caused both of the older women to freeze in panic. Brooke's breathing grew shallow…what if it was the cops on the other side of her door? What if Sam had been arrested, or was hurt, or…? She couldn't even think of the other possibility. She didn't have long to think, however, because Chelsea hopped down off of her stool and scampered over to the door, peeping through the glass on the side first.

"Sissy!" she squealed happily, flinging open the door and throwing herself at Sam's legs. "I missed you!"

Sam picked her little sister up and held her as she stepped into the house. "I wasn't gone that long, runt," she said, her voice holding none of its usual sarcasm. "Hey, look who I brought with me."

"Uncle Lucas!" Chelsea said happily, scrambling out of Sam's arms. "You left your house!"

Lucas followed Sam inside, smiling at both Chelsea and Lily, who had gotten up and come to join the happy reunion.

"Yeah, I left, kiddo," he said, crouching down and giving both of the little girls a hug. "I figured it was time Sawyer got out and saw the world. She was pretty excited when we ran into Sam at the cemetery," he added, giving a significant glance to Karen and Brooke.

Brooke's breath caught in her throat as she rose to her feet and approached her oldest daughter with trepidation. Hearing that she had been at the cemetery made her guilt intensify, knowing that Sam had gone there to seek solace because Brooke hadn't been allowing her to deal with her grief properly. She gave Karen a helpless look, and her surrogate mother responded by giving her a gentle push on the shoulder.

"Sam?" Brooke said, her voice shaking almost uncontrollably. The teenage girl looked at her mother, her eyes betraying her own fear.

Brooke saw the hurt in Sam's eyes, and wanted nothing more than to make that pain go away. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry," she breathed. "Can you please forgive me?"

Sam looked almost questioningly at Lucas, and he nodded his encouragement. "Go on," he whispered.

Sam turned her gaze back to her mother, looking directly into her eyes for the first time in weeks. She saw the hurt, the fear, and most of all, the love shining through as Brooke stared at her pleadingly. All of the guardedness Sam had been feeling lately around her mom melted away as she allowed her face to crumple with tears, and she ran straight to Brooke, who opened her arms to catch her in a fierce embrace.

"Oh God, Baby," Brooke choked, her own tears dampening Sam's soft brown hair as she held her tight. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"I missed you, Mama," Sam whimpered, clinging to Brooke as though she were a life preserver.

"I know," Brooke whispered, kissing her gently on top of the head. "I promise, Baby, I'll never go anywhere again. I promise. I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Sam sniffled.

Lucas cleared his throat quietly and looked over at his own mother. "Mom, if you don't mind, I'm pretty hungry," he said meaningfully. "Do you think you could whip up something for dinner back at my place?"

"Of course," Karen said, already grabbing her purse from the coffee table. "Brooke, honey, we're going to take off," she said, gently touching Brooke's shoulder so as not to disturb the mother daughter reunion any more than necessary.

"Okay," Brooke said, letting go of Sam with one arm and pulling Karen into a side hug. "Thank you," she said sincerely.

Karen smiled, and returned the hug. "Think nothing of it," she said firmly. She headed towards the door, taking Lily by the hand and gesturing to Lucas to follow her.

"Lucas," Brooke said quickly, stopping the young man in his tracks. "Thank you, too," she said, somewhat awkwardly. "Um…would it be alright if I stopped by sometime tomorrow? I'd like to spend some time with Sawyer…and you."

Luke nodded, giving her a small smile. "We'll be there," he said, patting Sawyer gently on the head. "Love you, girls," he said, addressing Sam and Chelsea before closing the door behind him.

Brooke stared at the closed door for a second, before looking down at her two girls. "Come here," she said softly, taking Chelsea's hand and leading both girls over to the couch. She sat down and pulled Chelsea onto her right knee, while placing her left arm around Sam and holding her close.

"We have a lot to talk about," she began. "And I promise, over the next few days, we're going to talk about everything. But first, I need to know…Sam, did I hurt you?" she asked, almost frightened of what the answer would be.

Sam looked at her in confusion. "Did you…oh," she realized, blushing slightly. "Um…a little," she admitted. "But not too bad. I can't even feel it anymore," she added quickly, feeling horrible when she saw guilt pass over Brooke's face.

Brooke closed her eyes and took a deep breath, biting her lip to keep another wave of tears from falling. "Samantha, I am so incredibly sorry for what I did," she said honestly. "I made both of you girls a promise when I adopted you that I would never punish you in anger, and that's exactly what I did today. I don't know what to say except I'm sorry and it will never, ever happen again. Do you believe me?"

Sam nodded silently, leaning into her mother's chest. As hurt as her feelings had been over the past few weeks, she just wanted all of the anxiety to be over. No sense in dwelling on what had happened.

"Okay," Brooke said, feeling a little relieved for the moment, but knowing that it was going to take more than words to make up for what she had done. "Girls, I want you to know something very important. I know that ever since your Aunt Peyton died, I've been…cold. And I know that it seemed for a while that I didn't love you anymore. But sweethearts, nothing could be further from the truth. I know I wasn't showing it, but I love you both with all of my heart and soul. And even when I forget to show it, my love will never stop. Do you understand that?"

Chelsea nodded and placed her hand on her mom's cheek. "That's what Aunt Karen said," she said wisely. "She said you loved us, but you just forgotted for a little while. But it's okay, Mama, cause we didn't forget that we love you."

Sam smiled at her little sister and nodded in agreement. Brooke flashed a genuine smile for what felt like the first time in ages, and she gave both of the girls kisses on the cheek. "I don't know how I got so lucky to have the two most beautiful, wonderful girls in the world," she said tenderly. "Now, I know I said we have a lot more to talk about, and we do. But I think it's time that Sam had some dinner, and then we can go out for ice cream to celebrate."

"Celebrate?" Sam asked in confusion. "Mom, I'm glad you're feeling better and all, but are we all really happy enough to warrant a celebration?"

Brooke cupped the back of her teenage daughter's head with her hand and gave her a warm smile. "Well, if my girl making the Ravens Cheerleading Squad isn't a cause for celebration, I don't know what is," she said, a hint of a sparkle shining in her eye. The sparkle and her smile only grew bigger as Sam broke out into a grin and threw her arms around her mother's neck.

**Yay, everyone's happy again! Well, maybe not happy, but getting back to normal. Coming up next: Brooke and Lucas discuss parenting. I'll be throwing either a Sam or Chelsea plot in there somewhere, but I haven't decided yet which girl I'm going to write for. Please review, it encourages me and makes me smile! And after all these character deaths and tearful moments I've been writing lately, I need to smile! Thanks!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi everyone! Alright, there are a few tears in this chapter, so like I said, not everyone is totally happy yet. But this is definitely the last chapter for a while that will contain people grieving. Please please please read and review, guys! Reviews make me smile! Enjoy!**

"Brooke," Lucas said, opening up the door with one hand as he balanced Sawyer in his left arm. "Come on in."

"Thanks," Brooke said, stepping tentatively into the house. She kept her eyes focused on Lucas, not sure if she trusted herself to look at Sawyer. She hadn't really given the baby a close look since she had been born, but she had heard the whispers that Sawyer looked exactly like Peyton, and Brooke wasn't positive how she would react to that.

"Um…do you want anything to drink? Something to eat?" Lucas asked, looking around the kitchen. Since Nathan and Karen had been doing all the shopping, he really had no idea what he had to offer Brooke.

"Oh, no thanks, I had a big breakfast. I…I ate with the girls this morning. Haven't done that in a while," she said guiltily.

"Yeah, I heard," Lucas said gently. "Um…well, do you want to sit down in the living room? I've been walking for a while, trying to get Sawyer to sleep, but I think she's pretty well conked out now."

"Okay," Brooke said, following him into the living room and sitting down next to him on the couch. The pair sat in silence for a moment, neither of them sure what to say.

"Listen, Brooke…"

"Lucas, I…"

They each laughed in embarrassment as their words overlapped. "You first," Lucas said gentlemanly.

"Luke, I just…I wanted to thank you. For bringing Sam back home last night. I don't know what she told you, but…if you hadn't found her, I'm not sure she'd be home yet."

"She was pretty upset," Lucas agreed. "I'm glad I found her, too."

Brooke shifted uneasily on the couch. "Did she…tell you? About yesterday and…everything?"

Lucas heaved a deep sigh. "She told me that you haven't….been yourself…not since…you know. And she told me about what happened when she came home late, and how you…disciplined her."

Brooke bit her lip and looked away from him so he wouldn't see the tears filling her eyes. "I don't know what came over me," she said shakily. "Chelsea and Sam were both raised in environments where they were neglected and hit in anger. I swore when I took them that…that I would never…"

"Hey, Brooke," Lucas said, placing his free hand on her knee. "We're all a little…messed up right now. I've got to admit; a month ago I might have been completely pissed at you for punishing her while you were mad. But now that I've got my own little girl…I don't know, if there was ever a time when I didn't know where Sawyer was, I'd probably go postal too, even if I wasn't grieving."

Brooke gave him a weak smile and put her hand on top of his. "Thanks," she said sincerely. "I'd like to think that, even though I've been ignoring the girls lately, that somewhere in the back of my mind I was just really scared for Sam's safety. But if I'm honest with myself, I think I was looking for someone to take out my anger on, since the person I'm angry at isn't here anymore."

It was Lucas's turn to look away as his own eyes got a little misty. He stared down at his baby daughter and held her a little closer to his chest. "You know, every time I look at Sawyer, I have this weird mix of emotions," he said quietly. "I feel so lucky to have her; she's healthy, beautiful, and just…perfect. But then, I see how much she looks like her mother, and I get so sad and…God, I just get angry!" he said, his voice rising as he continued talking. "Sawyer is going to grow up without a mother, just like Peyton did. And I remember how messed up it made Peyton back in high school, and I'm so angry with her for doing that to her own child! And then I feel sad and guilty, because I know that's the last thing Peyton wanted, and…"his voice broke as the tears started to pour down his face.

"Oh, Luke," Brooke breathed, reaching out and hugging the weeping man. "It's going to be okay, I promise. It has to be, I promise."

It took a few minutes for Lucas to regain his composure, and once he did, Brooke leaned away from him, but she kept her hands on his shoulder. "Luke, I want you to listen to me," she said firmly. "Peyton wasn't the only one who grew up without a mother. Until I moved in here with Karen, I was a motherless child, too. And like I said, I swore when I adopted Chelsea and Sam, that they would never again remember what it was like to not have a mother."

Brooke took a deep breath and stole a quick glance down at Sawyer. "And I swear to you now, I will be there for your child. Whenever there is a mother/daughter tea, a Girl Scouts meeting, a dance recital; whatever it is, I will be there. When she has her first date, her first kiss, her first…well, anyways, her first whatever, I will be there. Listen, I know I can't replace Peyton, and I don't want to try, but I will be to Sawyer what Karen was to me. You have my solemn word, Lucas Scott. I swear it on Peyton's memory-this child will not grow up motherless."

Lucas looked away again, and for a second Brooke was afraid that she had overstepped her bounds. But he turned back to her with a small, but grateful smile on his face.

"I wonder if Peyton knew how lucky she was the day she met you?" he asked, taking one of her hands off of his shoulder and holding it tightly.

"I don't know about that, but I knew how lucky I was that day," Brooke said, allowing her mind to drift back to those simpler times. She snapped out of it when Sawyer gave a small whine and stretched herself out in her father's arms.

"Uh oh," Lucas sighed, letting go of Brooke's hand and rubbing Sawyer's tummy. "I knew it wouldn't last. She probably needs a bottle."

"Do you…do you mind if I hold her?" Brooke asked shyly. "I mean, just while you warm up the bottle, of course."

Lucas smiled at her. "There are very few people I would trust her with, but luckily, you're one of them," he said. "Here, it'll only take me a few minutes. You can even feed her."

Brooke held out her arms as Lucas gently handed her the tiny girl. He looked at the pair fondly for a moment before stepping out into the kitchen. Brooke was totally oblivious as he left the room. She was completely in awe of the precious little angel she was holding.

Sawyer blinked open her bright green eyes and stared up at Brooke with a look of bewilderment. Apparently, she wasn't bothered being held by this strange woman, as she removed her tiny fist from the blanket she was wrapped in and waved it in the air. Brooke felt her heart melt completely as she took the little hand in her own.

"Hi Sawyer," she whispered. "I'm your Aunt Brooke. And I'm sorry I haven't been around lately, but that's all going to change. Did you know that you have my name? Yes you do, you're Sawyer Brooke. And Brooke is a great name, and you're going to have a great life. And I'm going to love you your whole life, and I'm going to be there to watch you grow up. Yes, I will. You're stuck with me, Pretty Girl."

"Pretty Girl, huh?" Lucas said, coming back in the room with a fresh bottle. "I've heard that nickname somewhere before," he teased.

"Yeah, well, I always liked it," Brooke retorted, taking the bottle when he offered it to her. "Besides, it's only appropriate for girls with the name Brooke. We're the prettiest of all."

"I wouldn't disagree," Lucas said, stroking Sawyer's cheek with his finger as she sucked down the bottle. "I'm just worried about the day when some moody basketball player calls her that, and I have to fight him off."

Brooke giggled at the thought of Lucas raising a teenager. "Well, if you want to get in some practice, I keep waiting for the day when Sam goes on her first date," she said. "Which I'm sure will be any day now, since she is officially a Raven's cheerleader."

"Ah, that's right!" Lucas said, leaning back on the couch with a smug look on his face. "Wild parties at the beach, long rides home on the back of a dark bus…"

Brooke glared at him. "One more word and I shove this bottle up your nose," she threatened.

Lucas held up his hands in mock surrender. "I'm only kidding," he said reassuringly. "Sam will have much more supervision than you ever did, even when you lived here. You've got Haley working as a teacher, and Skills, Nathan and I will be on those away game buses. I'm sure we can fend off any horny adolescent males and wild kegger invitations."

"Well, I feel better knowing that, but I'm pretty sure Sam will be mortified if she figures out that her uncles are baby-sitting her on the game bus," Brooke said, removing the finished bottle from Sawyer's mouth and lifting her up to burp her. "Just try and be subtle, okay? I know I can be a little overprotective, and I'm really grateful to you guys for going a little easier on her."

"I honestly don't think you'll have much to worry about," Lucas said, handing Brooke a burp cloth. "I know she threw that party this summer, but I think being on the squad will give her some new direction. At least, that's what Peyton was hoping."

"Sam told me about how she helped her get ready," Brooke said, wiping Sawyer's mouth and nestling her in her arms again. "I wish I could have gotten to thank her."

"Well, call me crazy, but I think she probably already knows," Lucas said. "Hey, I almost forgot, there's something I have to give you." He reached down and opened the coffee table drawer, pulling out a sealed envelope.

"About a week ago, Andy was cleaning up and he found a box under our bed," he said, staring down at the envelope. "It has a post-it note on it that said 'just in case'. It was a box of stuff for Sawyer from Peyton: an iPod with all of Peyton's favorite songs on it, some videotapes, photos…a whole bunch of stuff. But there were also some letters: one for me, one for my mom, one for Nathan and Haley, and this one. It's for you."

Brooke took the envelope he offered her and stared at it blankly. "I don't know if I want to open it," she whispered.

"I haven't opened mine either," Lucas replied quietly. "I just…I know when I read it, it's real. There's nothing left. She'll never speak to me again."

"I know what you mean," Brooke said. "I think I'm going to have to wait a little while before I'm ready for this." As soon as the words left her mouth, her phone alarm went off. "Oh gosh, I have to go," she said, quickly handing Sawyer back to Lucas. "Chelsea has a half day today because of teacher training. I haven't picked her up in a long time, so I really need to go."

"Yeah, of course," Lucas said, standing up and following her to the door. "Listen, Brooke…I'm really glad you stopped by," he said sincerely. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," Brooke said softly. "I promise I won't wait this long again. I just…I needed a little time. But I think I'm going to be okay now. _We _are going to be okay now," she added, reaching out and giving him a hug. She leaned down and gave Sawyer a kiss. "Bye, Pretty Girl," she cooed.

"I'll talk to you soon," Lucas said, holding open the door for you. "Give my nieces a kiss for me-Pretty Girl."

Brooke rolled her eyes at him as she headed toward her car. Lucas shut the door and smiled down at Sawyer. "So what do you think of your Aunt Brooke?" he asked tenderly. Sawyer waved her fist in the air again, and Lucas laughed. "My thoughts exactly," he said.

Later that evening, Chelsea had been tucked into bed after spending an exhilarating afternoon with her mama at the playground. Sam had taken a shower and come down in her pajamas to cuddle with her mom on the couch as they watched TV.

"Hey Mom?" Sam asked during a commercial. "Remember how you said yesterday that I've been really responsible and doing a lot for the past few weeks, and you would make it up to me?"

Brooke raised an eyebrow, recognizing the signs of teen bartering a mile away. "Yeah, I remember," she said slowly.

"Could you make it up to me by letting me go to a party at the beach this weekend?" Sam asked hesitantly.

Brooke felt a slight flash of panic stir in her breast as she remembered her conversation with Lucas earlier that day. "Who's going to be at this party?"

"Just the cheerleading squad," Sam said quickly. Brooke gave her a suspicious look and she sighed. "And the football team…and the basketball team. But that's it, I swear!"

"I don't know, Sam," Brooke said reluctantly. "I went to a lot of those parties in high school, and more often than not, I ended up three sheets to the wind."

"Mom, that won't happen," Sam protested. "Believe me; I learned my lesson last time. I can't promise there won't be drinking there, but I can promise that I _won't _be drinking. Just give me a chance to prove to you that I can behave. Please?" she begged.

Brooke looked down at Sam's pleading eyes and sighed. She knew she couldn't refuse after what she had put Sam through, but she wasn't about to let her go without a short lecture on responsibility. "Alright, you can go," she said.

Sam squealed and threw her arms around her mom. "Thank you thank you!" she said happily.

"You're welcome. _But _there are a few conditions," Brooke said sternly. "Number one, you have a midnight curfew, nonnegotiable. Number two, you do not get in a car with anyone who has been drinking. And number three, if you do drink, or take drugs, or do anything else dangerous or illegal, you do not hesitate to call me. Trust me, Sam, you will not get away with anything if you try to hide it from me, and the punishment will be a lot less worse if you call. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am," Sam said eagerly, only halfway listening as she planned her outfit in her mind. "Thanks again, Mom," she said, cuddling into Brooke's side.

Brooke smiled and kissed her on top of the head, thinking that she probably would have said yes to backpacking through Europe just to see the smile on Sam's face.

**A party at the beach with cheerleaders and athletes? Yeah, there won't be any trouble there at all. Coming up next: PAR-TAY! Read and review, please!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi everyone! I hope you like this chapter-it turned out way different than I expected, but I thought after all the drama and sadness of recent chapters, we needed something a little more lighthearted. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed! Keep doing that, and enjoy!**

"How do I look?" Sam asked, coming down the stairs and posing in the living room. "Good enough to be a cheerleader?"

Brooke smiled and walked over to her daughter, who was looking stunning in skinny jeans and a dark red halter top. "You look _too _good to be a cheerleader," she said, tucking a stray strand of Sam's freshly curled hair into place. "You'll be the prettiest girl there, I guarantee it."

"Thanks, Mom," Sam said, blushing slightly at her mom's praise. Even though it still slightly embarrassed her when Brooke gushed over her, after fourteen years of insults and apathy, it was nice to be fussed over sometimes.

"Okay, you have your phone, right?" Brooke asked seriously. "And you know not to get a ride home with this Lucy girl if she's been drinking? Remember, you can call me no…"

"No matter what," Sam finished, rolling her eyes. "Mom, I know; you've told me, like, a million times. And besides, Lucy can't drink because she's a diabetic. That's why she offered to drive."

"I'm sorry," Brooke said apologetically. "I don't mean to be totally overbearing. Actually, I do. Because maybe if my own mother was more overbearing, I wouldn't have come home trashed five nights a week."

"So, should I be the one to tell Aunt Karen that you think she's overbearing, since she was the one who got you to stop drinking?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow.

Brooke opened her mouth to retort, but the sound of a car horn cut her off. "Alright smart alec, get out of here before I change my mind," she said, giving Sam a tight hug. "Have fun, be responsible and remember your curfew!"

"I will," Sam said with a grin. "Bye Chels! Bye Mom," she said, hurrying out the door.

Brooke turned around and saw that Chelsea had appeared lugging Brooke's bag full of manicure supplies and a plastic foot tub. "Mama, hurry up!" she said impatiently. "It's already 9:00! You promised I could stay up late and we could have spa night while Sammi's gone!"

Brooke chuckled as she followed Chelsea over to the couch. One baby was going off to a party, while her other baby was getting interested in make-up and nail polish. "_They're growing up too fast_," she thought wistfully.

"Hey Sam!" said Lucy Shapiro as Sam slid into her car. "You look great!"

"Thanks Lucy," Sam said, smiling shyly at the older girl. Lucy had been on the cheerleading squad since she was a freshman, and now, as a junior, she was one of the smartest, prettiest, most popular girls in school. She was also incredibly nice, and she had been assigned as Sam's cheerleading big sister, something which Sam was extremely excited about. "You look great, too," Sam added, feeling slightly nervous at being in the company of one of the school's queen bees.

"Thanks," Lucy said, pulling out of the Davis driveway and heading down the street at a respectable thirty miles an hour. "So, are you excited for tonight?"

"I guess so," Sam said. "I mean, I haven't been to a party in a while, and the last experience was…not great."

"Oh, right, I heard about that! You threw that big kegger last summer, right?"

"Uh, yeah. That was me."

"I heard that was a great party. Why didn't you enjoy it?" Lucy asked curiously.

"Well, I did kind of enjoy it, but my enjoyment stopped when my mom caught me with a trash bag full of beer bottles," Sam admitted, blushing as she spoke.

"Ah, I see," Lucy said sympathetically. "Yeah, my parents would kill me if they even suspected I had been drinking, which kind of makes me glad that I'm diabetic. Your mom must be a little less strict, since you're obviously still alive."

"Yeah…I kind of wished I was dead after she was through with me, to be honest," Sam said drily, feeling more and more at ease with Lucy.

"Well, just promise me you'll be careful tonight, okay?" Lucy said, speeding up as they got out of the neighborhood. "I don't want you to get in trouble with your mom for drinking. She might pull you off the squad, and that would really suck. I love being your big sis."

"Really?" Sam asked, her eyes shining in spite of herself.

"Duh, girl!" Lucy said, elbowing her in the side. Both girls laughed, and settled into an easy flow of conversation as they made their way to the beach.

When they arrived twenty minutes later, the party was already getting started. There was a huge table of hot dogs, marshmallows, and other snacks next to a roaring bonfire. There was also a table of drinks farther away, which included a large keg and several cases of beer.

"And welcome to a Tree Hill Beach Party," Lucy said ironically as they walked down the beach. "Booze, bikinis, and beautiful boys. And speaking of beautiful boys, that new kid from the basketball team is checking you out."

"Who, Mitchell?" Sam asked. "He's just my biology lab partner…the only things we've ever talked about are cell mutations and frog dissections. I didn't even know him until this year…I think his family moved here from Raleigh this summer."

"You sure he's not your chemistry lab partner? Because he is totally reacting to you," Lucy jibed.

"Oh my god, that is the worst joke ever!" Sam laughed. "And he totally isn't…oh my god, he's coming over here."

"I'm just going to leave you two alone," Lucy said with a wink, as she strolled over towards the bonfire.

"Hey, Sam," Mitchell Bennett said, flashing her a crooked grin. At nearly sixteen years old, Mitchell already stood six feet tall. He had hair the color of dark chocolate, and his blue eyes were the talk of the sophomore class. He was a pretty quiet guy, but always polite and friendly, and a hell of a basketball player. "How's it going?" he asked.

"Great," Sam said, trying not to make her voice sound breathy as she answered. "How about you? Dissected any frogs lately?" _"Oh my god, you idiot! You sounded so stupid!"_ she thought, mentally kicking herself.

But to her surprise, Mitchell laughed. "No, thank god," he said. "Seriously, that is the worst class ever. I would totally skip every other day if I didn't have such a cool lab partner."

Sam blushed in spite of herself, but she couldn't help the grin that spread over her face. "Same here," she said coyly, taking a step closer towards him.

Mitchell smiled appreciatively and placed a friendly arm around her shoulder. "So, you hungry? I'm kind of the mood to set a hot dog on fire. Or, we could…"

"Samantha!" a high pitched voice shouted. Sam cringed outwardly as Rachel Harris, two beer bottles in hand, skipped over to the no longer happy couple.

"Hey, Rachel," Sam said, her voice betraying just how enthusiastic she was to be interrupted with Mitchell.

"Oh, don't say it like that," Rachel chided, grabbing Sam's arm and tugging her away from a bewildered looking Mitchell. "Look, I know we didn't get started off on the right foot. But the fact is; I underestimated you. And now that we're both on the squad, we need to hang out together and learn to be friends. So here-my peace offering to you," she said, holding out one of the open beer bottles.

"Uh, no thanks," Sam said, loosening her arm from Rachel's grip. "I don't think I'm going to be drinking tonight."

"Aw, come on Sam, just one," Rachel begged. "Look, all the other girls on the squad are doing it. Think of it as a cheerleader bonding ritual. You'll be sober hours before your curfew."

Sam looked where Rachel indicated, and saw that, with the exception of Lucy, all of the other cheerleaders were indeed nursing Budweisers. She looked back at the beer Rachel was holding, and thought about her mom for a minute. She knew Brooke had specifically told her not to drink, but wouldn't she want her to fit in with the crowd? How was she going to be a good cheerleader unless she could bond with these girls? Mom would understand, she decided. And besides, Rachel was right. She would be sober before she got home, so there was no need for Mom to even find out.

"Alright, just one," she relented, taking one of the bottles and clinking it with Rachel's. "To cheerleading."

"Atta girl!" Rachel cheered, taking a healthy swig from her bottle. Sam followed suit, and nearly choked on her first swallow. "You okay there, Davis?" Rachel asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously as they walked over to join the other girls.

"Yeah," Sam said, trying to cover the sound of her coughs. "It just tastes a little weird. But I've always drank from a keg or a can, so that's probably why. Different packaging or something."

An hour later, however, it was obvious to Sam that it was not different packaging that was causing the funny taste. Barely a minute after she had finished her beer, Sam looked up at the night sky and was surprised to see that the moon had multiplied into two separate moons. She stumbled forward with her head tilted, trying to get a better look, and ended up tripping and falling down into the sand. Lucy, who had been chatting up the quarterback, saw the spill and came hurrying over.

"Sam?" she said worriedly, helping the younger girl to her feet. "Are you alright? Have you been drinking?"

"Just…one…beer," Sam groaned. "Didn't…taste right, though."

Lucy picked up the bottle that Sam had dropped and sniffed it. "Well, it tastes right if you're drinking Jack Daniel's," she said in shock. "Sam, who gave this to you?"

"Sam?" Mitchell called, running over to the pair. He had kept his distance since Rachel had dragged Sam away. It had taken a lot of courage for him to talk to her the first time, and he had lost him momentum once she left. But seeing her in such a state, his concern overcame his shyness. "What happened to her?" he asked Lucy.

"I'm trying to find out," Lucy replied. "Sam, look at me. Where did you get this beer?"

"From Rachel," Sam slurred, grabbing onto Mitchell's arm to steady herself. "She said it was a peace offering. I figured…one…couldn't hurt, right?"

Lucy drew a deep breath, trying to control her not oft seen temper. "Mitchell, will you stay with her?" she asked crisply.

"Yeah, of course," he said, putting his arm around Sam and rubbing her back comfortingly. "Take your time."

Lucy stormed off towards the crowd by the bonfire, and quickly spotted Rachel flirting with a senior football player. She grabbed Rachel by the arm and yanked her away, ignoring her protests.

"How much Jack was in the bottle, Rachel?" she demanded, shaking the girl's arm slightly. "Was there anything else in there besides Jack and beer?"

"Ow! No!" Rachel said, struggling to get loose. "God, I brought my own Jack with me and I thought she'd enjoy some. I meant it when I said it was a peace offering!"

"How much?" Lucy ground out, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"I don't know…like, six? Seven shots?" Rachel guessed. "I just poured half the beer out and replaced it with the whiskey. I thought she'd notice, but I guess she doesn't drink much."

"Luce, what's going on?" asked Angela, the captain of the cheerleading squad. "Is everything okay?"

"Not exactly," Lucy replied, her eyes flashing angrily. "Little Miss Rachel here thought it would be cute to spike Sam's drink with about half a dozen shots of whiskey. Sam's completely gone, and I'm guessing Rachel will be too within the next hour or so."

"Oh my god," Angela groaned. "Rachel, seriously, I'm not one to judge people on how much they drink, but spiking someone else's drink is seriously messed up. In fact, I think it might be illegal. And it's totally uncool to do that to another girl on the squad."

"God!" Rachel said, throwing her hands up in the air. "I was trying to be _nice!_"

"Yeah, well, you can think about other ways to be nice while you run laps during practice on Monday," Angela said, snatching the beer out of her hand. "Now why don't you go get some water and try to sober up? Luce, have you got Sam?"

"Yeah, I'll take her home," Lucy said, watching as Rachel stomped off. "We've got to keep an eye on that one, Ang."

"No kidding," Angela said, rolling her eyes. "I knew she'd probably be trouble, but she's an awesome tumbler. Maybe we can all work together and straighten her out."

"Hopefully before she turns Sam into a coke addict," Lucy said sardonically. "Anyways, see you Monday, Ang. I'm gonna head out."

"Later, Luce."

Lucy headed back over to Sam, who had started to cry and was being consoled by Mitchell. "Come on, Sam, let's get you home," she said gently, taking Sam's arm and starting to guide her to the car.

"Could I come with you?" Mitchell asked, keeping his hand on Sam's shoulder. "I'd like to make sure she gets home safe, and besides, I think my ride has played one too many games of beer pong already."

"Sure, no problem," Lucy said, noting with interest how tenderly Mitchell guided Sam across the sand. "I'd love to have backup when facing her mom, anyway."

"Oh God," Sam moaned, as she was bundled into the backseat of the car with Mitchell by her side. "My mom is going to kill me. I can't go home!"

"Sam, I'm sure it will be fine," Lucy said as she started the car. "We'll tell her what Rachel did, it will all be okay."

"No, you don't understand!" Sam protested. "I promised her I wouldn't drink at all! Not after last time! She's totally going to spank me again!" As soon as the words left her mouth, all of the blood drained from her face as she looked at Mitchell in horror. "Please tell me I didn't just say that," she whispered, fresh tears starting to stream down her face.

"Hey, don't cry," Mitchell said softly. "Seriously, Sam it's no big deal. Look, I know you probably won't remember this in the morning, which may be the only reason I'm admitting it, but you weren't the only one who got your ass busted after your keg party."

Sam's eyes widened. "But…you weren't even at my party," she stuttered. "You hadn't even moved here yet, had you?"

"Three days before your party, we moved into our new house," Mitchell explained. "One of the guys in the neighborhood told me about the party, and I decided to tag along for fun. Unfortunately, I hadn't quite perfected the art of sneaking back into the new house, and my dad busted me. Well actually, he caught me, and then he busted my ass with his belt."

"Wow," Sam said, feeling her heart slowly start pumping at a normal speed again. "Why did you tell me?" she asked curiously.

"Because I like you," he admitted, putting an arm around her again. "And I didn't want you to have to feel embarrassed. I promise, I'll never tell anyone, and neither will Lucy. Right, Luce?"

"Besides being a diabetic, I'm also prone to sporadic moments of deafness, so I have no idea what either of you are embarrassed about," Lucy deadpanned. "However, if I had heard what you said, I would tell you that last semester, when I brought home two C's on my report card, I had an intimate conversation with my mom's hairbrush. Welcome to the south, kids."

Mitchell snorted in laughter. "Ain't that the truth, huh Sam? Sam?" he asked, looking down. Sam had fallen asleep on his shoulder, the effects of the alcohol obviously getting to her. "Um, Lucy, can you step on the gas? We need to get her home quickly."

Brooke had put Chelsea to bed and was emptying out the pedicure basin when the doorbell rang. She dropped the basin as her heart leaped into her throat. She had been trying not to worry about Sam, but hearing the doorbell ring when your teenager was out at night was the most frightening sound a parent could hear. She hurried to the door and opened it, her worst fears confirmed when she saw a girl and boy she didn't know, and a sleeping Sam curled up in the boy's arms.

"Oh my god, Sam!" she cried, reaching out and grabbing her daughter from the strange boy. "What happened? Is she alright?"

"She's fine, Ma'am," the boy said quickly. "She's not going to feel great in the morning, but she's fine."

"Miss Davis?" the girl said nervously. "I'm Lucy, and this is Mitchell. Um, can we come in? We sort of need to talk to you."

"Yes, you do," Brooke said sharply, opening the door and directing them into the living room. She sat down on the couch with Sam's head in her lap, while the two nervous teenagers sat across from her. "Do you mind telling me what happened tonight?"

"Miss Davis, I promise you, it was not Sam's fault," Lucy began, feeling a little chill go down her spine as Brooke stared her down. "Sam was going to have one beer, to have a toast with the other girls on the squad. Everyone was doing it, except for me since I can't drink. But one of the other new girls, Rachel, gave her a beer that was halfway filled with Jack Daniel's. Sam didn't even realize anything was wrong until she was seeing double and tripping over herself."

"She didn't even want to drink, Miss Davis," Mitchell broke in. "Rachel kind of forced her to. And I know, we're not supposed to cave into peer pressure and all that stuff, but Sam was trying to do the right thing. Please don't punish her, she really doesn't deserve it."

Brooke raised an eyebrow, not sure whether she should be appalled at how bold the young man in front of her was, or whether she should be pleased that Sam had obviously found some friends that would be very good influences on her. "I think I can decide what my daughter deserves, Mitchell," she said firmly, causing the young man to blush. "But I do appreciate you telling me what happened. I promise, I will take everything you said into consideration," she added in a gentler tone.

"Thank you, Miss Davis," Lucy said, standing up and nudging Mitchel l to do the same. "We'll go now so you can take care of Sam. And, I know you said you'll decide what she deserves, but I really hope you don't decide to pull her off the squad. She's a good cheerleader, and she's a really great girl. I'm glad we've started to become friends, and I'd hate to lose her."

In spite of her motherly anxiety over having a drunken teenager in her lap, Brooke smiled at Lucy. "I don't think pulling her off the squad is going to be necessary," she said, gently sliding Sam's head off of her lap and rising to her feet. "Will it make you two feel better if Sam calls you tomorrow?"

"That'd be great!" Mitchell said enthusiastically. So enthusiastically, in fact, that Brooke had to hide a grin. "I mean, thanks Miss Davis, we'd appreciate that."

"Well, I appreciate you two taking such good care of her," Brooke said, guiding them toward the door. "I mean, I wish your protective instincts had kicked in before the Jack cocktail, but nonetheless, I'm impressed. You two seem like great friends."

"So is Sam," Lucy said honestly as they headed out the door. "Goodnight, Miss Davis."

Brooke watched as they drove off, and then went back into the living room. She scooped Sam up in her arms and carried her upstairs. "As if it was easy to punish you before," she said softly. "Now you've got two model teenagers covering for you, too."

The next morning, Sam found herself spread across her bed with a raging headache. Her mouth tasted like cotton, and she could not for the life of her remember how she got into her bed or into her pajamas. She did, however, remember a car ride home where she had inadvertently blurted out intimate details of her home life. "Aw, man!" she groaned, sitting up and burying her head in her hands.

"Hangovers can be a bitch, can't they?"

Sam lifted her head and stared helplessly at Brooke. "Mom, I can explain…or at least, I can try to explain," she mumbled pitifully.

"Well, you could," Brooke said, sitting down on the bed and handing Sam a glass of water and a couple of Advil. "If your partners in crime hadn't explained for you last night."

"Lucy and Mitchell?" Sam asked. "They told you everything?"

"Bitchy cheerleader named Rachel, hidden shots of Jack Daniels, passed out on the beach," Brooke summed up. "Three things I have experience with, by the way."

"So…you're not mad?" Sam ventured.

"About you coming home rip roaring drunk? No. I know that part wasn't all your fault. But I'm not happy that you had a beer in the first place," she added, giving Sam a sharp look. "I warned you about drinking, Samantha, and you disobeyed me."

"I know," Sam whispered, looking down at her bedspread and picking at a loose thread. "So, what's my punishment?"

"Well, since you apparently think you're so grownup that you can drink whenever you please, I think you're old enough to choose your own punishment," Brooke decided. "You have a choice: spanking or grounding. Take your pick. But just so you know, if you choose grounding you won't be able to call Mitchell back, and he's already called twice this morning."

"Mitchell called?" Sam said, her eyes shining briefly as she forgot about being punished. "Oh wow, that's…so awesome!"

"So…you're going with the spanking, I take it?" Brooke asked seriously. "You understand that, no matter which form of punishment you choose, it's going to be incredibly severe."

"Oh, right," Sam said, biting her lip nervously. "I guess I kind of have to take the spanking," she said reluctantly. Much as she didn't want to, the thought of talking to Mitchell was so worth a sore behind.

"Alright, then," Brooke said briskly, scooting down on the bed. "Over my knee, young lady."

Sam continued biting her lip as she leaned herself over Brooke's lap. She squeezed her eyes shut and clutched the bedspread tightly between her fingers. She let out a hiss of pain as the first sharp smack descended upon the center of her pajama covered rear end. One swat more was delivered to each side, when Sam felt herself being lifted to her feet by Brooke.

"I don't ever want to have to do that again, Samantha Nicole," Brooke said sternly, crossing her arms.

Sam stared down at her mother incredulously. "What the hell was that?" she asked, completely baffled as to why Brooke had only spanked her three times.

"Psychological warfare," Brooke said, with no trace of a smile upon her face.

Realization dawned on Sam, and her mouth dropped open in shock. "You were just messing with me?" she cried.

Brooke's dimples appeared as she broke into a grin. "Gotcha," she said slyly.

"Mom!" Sam said in exasperation, stomping her foot. "That was so mean!"

"Hey, I couldn't let you get off scott-free, now could I?" Brooke teased, standing up and hugging her daughter.

"Yes, you could!" Sam insisted, grudgingly returning the hug.

Brooke leaned back so she could look Sam in the eye. "I know what happened last night wasn't your fault, sweetheart," she said gently. "Even though you had that beer, I know you didn't mean to get drunk. And besides, I'm incredibly proud of you for choosing to associate yourself with such good friends. Lucy seems like a wonderful girl, and if you ask me, Mitchell wants to be your wonderful guy."

"Mom," Sam complained, blushing with embarrassment.

"Hey, you better snatch him up now, because in a couple years I might go after him," Brooke joked. Sam groaned in disgust, and Brooke laughed, giving her a kiss on the head. "Go give him a call, Baby Girl," she said encouragingly. "But first, brush your teeth, because I think your hangover breath will probably seep right through the receiver."

Sam glared at her mom, who put in arm around her in response and led her out of the bedroom.

**I was going to write some huge, dramatic punishment for this, but I decided this was more fun. Plus, I've got a dramatic punishment coming up in my other story, so I didn't want to drain my energies. Coming up next: haven't decided. Mitchell is definitely going to become a more prominent role in Sam's life, despite the difficulties he faces from his coaches/her uncles. Chelsea needs to have some stuff too, so we'll just see what I'm in the mood for writing next! The more reviews I get, the faster I update! Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys! Updates go so much faster when I don't write depressing chapters, lol. This chapter is for all of you who have been begging me for more Chelsea! There are also a couple of Mitchell/Sam gems in there for those of you who like them. Enjoy!**

"Introducing, for the first time this basketball season, your 2011 Tree Hill Raven Cheerleaders!"

The ten members of the cheerleading squad ran out onto the court, pom-poms waving as they did high kicks and jump splits. Sam was positioned near the front since she was one of the shortest, and Brooke beamed with pride as she delivered a jump kick that could have rivaled her mother's on one of her best days.

"That's my girl!" Brooke cheered, standing up and clapping. "Go Sam!"

Sam blushed so furiously that the vibrant red color of her cheeks could be seen from the top row of the stands, and Karen hurriedly coaxed Brooke to sit down by placing a hand on her arm. "Brooke, I know you're proud, but take it from someone who has had experience raising a teen athlete," she said gently. "Loud and exuberant praise is best delivered after the game, when none of their friends are in sight."

"Sorry," Brooke said, blushing faintly herself. "I'm just so proud of her, and to be honest, I always wished there was someone cheering for me at my games."

"You being here is enough," Karen assured her. "And it is okay to cheer; just don't do it so loudly that they can hear you at the basketball game in the next town."

Brooke laughed in embarrassment, and she dared a glance back down to the court, hoping that Sam hadn't run off in mortification. But Sam was happily getting in position to make the tunnel for the basketball players, and as she looked up into the stands, she gave Brooke a small smile that assured her mother she wasn't angry with her.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for! Coached by former Ravens Lucas Scott, Antwon Taylor, and Nathan Scott, here are your 2011 TREE HILL RAVENS!"

The crowd rose to their feet as the members of the basketball team burst through the paper banner at the end of the court. Sam waved her pom-poms as hard as she could, and she flashed her brightest smile at Mitchell as he headed towards the huddle with his teammates and coaches. He gave her a genuine grin in return, almost missing the hands in as it was difficult to take his eyes off of her in that cheerleading uniform.

"Look, Sawyer, there's Daddy," Karen cooed, lifting the tiny girl up and pointing to Lucas. Sawyer smiled a toothless smile, before twisting and holding out her arms towards Brooke. Brooke smiled at the baby and took her carefully from Karen. Sawyer immediately snuggled into her chest, breathing a contented little sigh. Over the past few weeks, Brooke had remained true to her word that she would never let Sawyer feel motherless. She stopped by Lucas's house during almost every lunch break, and at least once a week she brought the girls over to play with Sawyer while she cooked dinner. In that time, Sawyer had grown quite attached to Brooke, almost as attached as she was to her daddy.

"I feel bad that Haley had to stay home with Jamie," Brooke said to Karen. "But I'll be honest, I'm glad that I only have to share this little angel with one person instead of two tonight."

"I know what you mean," Karen said, gently rubbing Sawyer's little back. "I feel worse for Jamie, though. He loves to watch his Daddy and Uncles coach basketball. But I'm glad she kept him home-I did not want Lily catching that nasty cold."

Brooke nodded her agreement as the Ravens got in position for the jump ball. The center for the Ravens easily took the ball from the opposing center, and Lucas immediately began barking orders to his team from the sidelines.

"God, it was only six years ago that I was a student here," Brooke said in amazement. "Who knew that it would be such a short period of time before my daughter was taking my place?"

"And such a short period of time for my little boy to become a coach," Karen said fondly, smiling with pride as she watched Lucas.

Lily and Chelsea, however, seemed to have little interest in the fact that half of their family was being showcased on the Tree Hill gym floor. They were more enamored with the box of popcorn they were sharing and the large mascot that had just come out and was running back and forth across the court.

"Whoa!" Chelsea said, nudging Lily in the side. "Look at that gargantuan raven!"

"What's gargantuan mean?" Lily asked, giving her friend a weird look.

"Aunt Haley says it means really really big. One day I heard her call Nathan's Daddy a gargantuan word I'm not allowed to say 'cause Mommy'll spank me," Chelsea explained. "She gave me a banana split when I promised not to tell Mommy that she said it in front of me."

"Oh," Lily said knowingly. "Lucas says bad words in front of me sometimes, and he always gives me candy so I won't tell. But one time, Mommy heard him say the F-word, and she grabbed a wooden spoon and started spankin' him with it! And Lucas tried to get away, and he was yellin' that he was too old, but Mommy said that was no 'scuse, and she chased him all around the house! It was funny!" she added with a giggle.

Chelsea giggled too, and for a while, the two girls were enjoying themselves. But by the middle of the second quarter, Chelsea's face had turned a little moody. "Can I tell you a secret?" she asked Lily.

"Yeah," Lily said with interest, leaning in close.

"I really don't like basketball," Chelsea confessed. "I think it's pretty boring."

"Me neither," Lily said emphatically. "But I would never tell Luke or Jamie or Uncle Nathan that 'cause it might hurt their feelings. But I wish we didn't have to come to all the games."

"Me too," Chelsea said dejectedly, propping her head up on her fists. The two little girls sat in bored silence until near the end of the second quarter, when Chelsea raised her head, her eyes lighting up.

"Lily," she whispered, glancing up to make sure her Mama and Aunt Karen weren't listening. "You wanna sneak off and go play somewhere?"

Lily's face brightened, but it was quickly darkened with disappointment. "I dunno," she said reluctantly. "Mommy probably won't like it. She says I have to stay with a grown-up."

"My Mama says that too," Chelsea admitted. "But what if we told them we was goin' to the bathroom, and then we just took a little longer? I bet they wouldn't even notice 'cause they're watchin' Sawyer."

Lily thought about it for a minute before breaking into a sneaky grin. "Let's try it," she whispered excitedly.

Chelsea nodded in agreement and stood up to talk to Brooke. "Mama?" she asked, reaching over and tugging on Brooke's sleeve. "Me and Lily have to go to the bathroom."

"I'll take them," Karen said, starting to stand up.

"Can we go by ourselves?" Lily begged. "I know where it is. It's just down the hall on the right."

"Please?" Chelsea pleaded. "Only babies have to go to the bathroom with a grown-up."

Karen opened her mouth to refuse, but before she could say anything, Sawyer began to fuss loudly, causing the people in front of them to turn around and glare.

"I think it's time for her bottle," Karen said, picking up the diaper bag and digging through it hurriedly as Brooke tried to soothe the baby.

"Mama!" Lily demanded, placing her hands on her hips impatiently. "Can we go to the bathroom?"

"Um…sure," Karen said distractedly, finally finding the bottle and handing it quickly to Brooke. "Stay together and come right back," she called over her shoulder.

Lily and Chelsea shared a conspiring look and skipped off hand in hand down the bleachers. Sawyer accepted the bottle, but she still had tears running down her face, and both Karen and Brooke were occupied with trying to soothe her.

As soon as the two six year olds made it to the bottom of the steps, a box under the bleachers caught their eye.

"Look!" Chelsea exclaimed excitedly. "Jump ropes!"

"Wow!" Lily said, running over to the box. "They're just like the ones we have at school. Do you think the big kids jump rope too?" she wondered in amazement.

"Maybe, but they're probably not as good at it as we are," Chelsea said matter of factly, grabbing two blue ropes from the box and taking Lily's hand again. "Let's go jump outside! We can do Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear!"

After about twenty minutes, Sawyer had drained the bottle and had finally drifted off to sleep, much to Karen and Brooke's relief. Lucas had heard her crying as the halftime buzzer sounded, and it took both Skills and Nathan to drag him off to the locker room rather than run up in the bleachers and snatch her away. As the team came back out onto the court after halftime, Karen turned to watch them come in and realized that Chelsea and Lily weren't sitting next to her.

"Brooke!" she said in alarm. "The girls are gone!"

"What?" Brooke said in concern. "Did they never come back from the bathroom?"

"No, and that was well over twenty minutes ago," Karen said, jumping to her feet and running down the bleachers. Brooke quickly placed the sleeping Sawyer in her baby carrier and hurried after her. Sam watched from the floor in concern as her mother and aunt hustled out of the gym, but she was immediately distracted by loud cheers. Mitchell had just scored a three pointer and put the Ravens in the lead, and he sent a wink in her direction as he hustled to the other end of the court.

"Sam and Mitchell, sitting in a tree…" Lucy began to sing softly over her shoulder.

"Shut up," Sam said, trying to sound nonchalant despite the beaming smile on her face. She watched as the Ravens took back possession, but stole another glance at the gym doors, wondering what was going on with her mom and Karen.

"Lily!" Karen called as she burst through the gym doors into the hallway. "Chelsea!"

"Girls!" Brooke echoed, trying to run without bouncing Sawyer awake. "Where are you?"

Karen ducked into the bathroom, but after seeing it was empty, came running back out and down the hallway. "I shouldn't have let them go," she chastised herself as she flung open classroom doors. "I knew they were too young, I should have gone with them…"

"Wait," Brooke cut her off, stopping in the hallway. "Do you hear that?"

Karen paused, and realized what Brooke was referring to. They followed the sounds of giggles and singing childish voices down to the exit of the school, and flung open the door leading onto the sidewalk.

"Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, run upstairs…" Lily and Chelsea chanted, as they competed with each other to see who could jump the longest.

"Lily Roe Scott!" Karen said sharply, causing both girls to drop their jump ropes in surprise. "What do you think you are doing, young lady?"

"That goes for you too, Chelsea Lynn," Brooke said sternly, placing her free hand on her hip. "Aunt Karen told you to come straight back from the bathroom! You know you're not supposed to wander around by yourselves, especially after dark!"

"But we were bored!" Lily whined, folding her arms stubbornly. Chelsea nodded her concurrence, a cute little pout forming on her face.

"That is no excuse, young lady," Karen scolded. "You deliberately disobeyed what I told you to do, and you know what happens when you disobey me!"

Lily's eyes got wide and pitiful, and she unconsciously placed a hand on her bottom. "Mama, please don't spank me!" she pleaded, taking a step towards Chelsea and huddling close to her.

"Don't even think about trying to argue with me, little girl," Karen warned, taking Lily's hand and pulling her back into the school. "You know you deserve a spanking for sneaking away, and if you talk back, there will be no TV for a week."

Brooke grabbed Chelsea's hand and followed Karen. "You're getting a spanking, too," she said firmly, ignoring Chelsea's whimper at the pronouncement of her fate. "You know better than to run off."

Both little girls were starting to sniffle as their mothers led them into the Tree Hill Locker room. Neither Karen nor Brooke liked to make their little ones wait for a spanking, since the waiting was often worse than the actual punishment. And since they would have complete privacy in the locker room, they felt it best to get it over with as soon as possible. Each mother took her daughter to a separate bench on opposite sides of the locker room.

"Chelsea, I am very disappointed in you," Brooke lectured, setting Sawyer's carrier down on the floor and pulling Chelsea over to stand in front of her as she sat down. "You took advantage of the fact that Mama and Aunt Karen were distracted and snuck away. That was a very dangerous thing to do! You could have been kidnapped, or you could have gotten hurt and no one would have known where you were. Do you understand why Mama is upset about this?"

"Yes ma'am," Chelsea pouted, rubbing her fist over her eyes.

"Alright then," Brooke said with finality, lifting Chelsea over her lap and raising her ruffled skirt. Chelsea wailed as Brooke delivered a dozen hard, stinging smacks to her little bottom. "Mama!" she cried, kicking her legs in anguish.

As soon as the last swat had been received, Brooke immediately picked Chelsea up and cradled her, almost like an infant to keep pressure off her rear end.

"Sh, it's okay, Baby Girl," she soothed, giving Chelsea a kiss on her tear-stained little cheek. "Mama's got you, it's alright." She wiped Chelsea's tears away with her finger tips, caressing her cheek until the little girl gave her a small smile.

"I'm sorry, Mama," Chelsea said pitifully, burying her face in Brooke's shirt.

"I know, sweetheart," Brooke said, rubbing her back. "Just promise me you won't ever do it again. Once you apologize to Aunt Karen, all will be forgiven."

"I promise," Chelsea said, yawning as Brooke rubbed her back. Getting a spanking was an exhausting process.

While Chelsea had been receiving her punishment, Karen was dealing with Lily on the other side of the room. "Lily Roe, that was a very naughty thing you did," Karen said sternly. "Your Daddy and I have taught you your whole life that it is never okay to wander off without an adult. I told you to come straight back from the bathroom, and I meant it. Just because we're in Tree Hill now and not in a foreign country doesn't mean things are automatically safer. You have to obey Mommy, or you might get hurt. Do you understand me?"

"Yes Mama," Lily whispered, scuffing her toe in the ground. Karen didn't say anything else, just placed the little girl over her lap before spanking her hard.

"Owie!" Lily screeched, pushing forward and trying to get away from her mother's rapidly descending hand. "Mama, stop!"

"If you ever pull a stunt like this again, Lily, you are going to be in more trouble than you can imagine!" Karen threatened, delivering two of the hardest swats to the tops of Lily's thighs.

"Okay!" Lily sobbed, going limp over Karen's knees. "I'm sorry, Mama!"

Karen gave her one last spank before standing up with Lily in her arms. "I'm sorry too, Baby," she said softly, swaying back and forth slightly as Lily cried on her shoulder. "You know Mama doesn't like doing that, right?"

"Uh-huh," Lily mumbled into her shoulder.

"Good," Karen said, patting her on the back and starting to walk over towards Brooke. "Then please don't make me do it again, alright?"

"'Kay," Lily said quietly, putting her arms around her mother's neck. Karen breathed in the scent of her daughter's hair and found her thoughts drifting, as they often did, to Keith. Lily was so much like him, and seeing him in her made Karen want to protect her even more fiercely. She couldn't bear to lose the last part of Keith left on this earth, not to mention that Keith would rise from the grave and kill her if anything were to happen to Lily. She gave Lily a tender kiss on her head, willing the tears that always came when she thought of Keith to disappear.

When they made it over to Brooke and Chelsea, Karen set Lily on the ground. "Do you have something you want to say to Aunt Brooke?" she prompted.

"Sorry, Aunt Brooke," Lily said meekly.

"Sorry, Aunt Karen," Chelsea echoed.

Both women forgave their respective nieces with a kiss, causing the little girls to smile shyly, albeit while rubbing their bottoms.

"Alright, we need to go back into the gym," Brooke said decidedly, rising to her feet. "I'm surprised Lucas hasn't burst in here yet looking for Sawyer."

Lily wrinkled her nose as they exited the locker room. "I don't wanna sit on those hard bleachers," she complained. As it turned out, however, the final buzzer sounded just as they walked back in the gym, so neither child would have to suffer through hard wooden bleachers. Karen waved to Lucas as he headed back in the locker room with his team to congratulate them on their first win, and Brooke sat down on the bottom row of bleachers, Sawyer's carrier next to her, while she waited for Sam to finish talking with the cheer squad.

"Mom!" Sam called, eventually running over to the bleachers. "How'd I do?"

"You were fabulous, my darling!" Brooke said enthusiastically, standing up and wrapping her eldest in a warm embrace. "Those kicks were amazing! Peyton would have been so proud of you," she added softly.

"Thanks," Sam said sincerely, her eyes growing wistful at the mention of Peyton. She didn't have time to dwell, though, because Chelsea came running over to her and wrapped her arms around her legs.

"What's wrong, runt?" Sam asked in concern, picking Chelsea up. "You look like you've been crying."

"Mama spanked me," she whispered, wrapping her legs around Sam's middle and her arms around her neck.

"Ew, that sucks," Sam said sympathetically. "Maybe we should put food coloring in her shampoo. That'll teach her."

"Samantha Nicole," Brooke said warningly. "If I ever get out of the shower with my hair a different color than it was, your butt is going to be a different color. Got it?"

"Got it," Sam said with a smirk, hugging Chelsea tightly.

"Hey Sam!" someone from across the gym called. Sam turned around, and grinned when she saw Mitchell.

"Hey Mitchell! Great game," she said enthusiastically, smiling at him over Chelsea's head. "You played awesome out there."

"Well, all the cheering provided me with a lot of encouragement," he said teasingly. "Doesn't look like everyone enjoyed the game, though. Who is this?"

"This is my little sis, Chelsea," Sam said, poking Chelsea so she would lift her head up. "She's having a rough night."

"Why would she be having a rough night?" Mitchell asked, feigning confusion. "I'd be having a great night if I had one of these behind my ear." With a quick movement of his hand, he reached behind Chelsea's ear and produced a Tootsie Roll, with the little girl accepted with a squeal of delight.

"Dude…that was lame," Sam said shaking her head in disbelief. "But it was also really sweet," she added, giving him a thankful smile as Chelsea wriggled down out of her arms and went to show Lily her Tootsie Roll.

"Don't mention it," he said with a wink. "So, would it be lame or sweet if I asked you to come grab some pizza? A bunch of us are going, and Lucy already said she would drive us."

"That'd be great!" Sam said happily. "Just let me ask my mom." She headed over to Brooke, who was trying to talk Lucas out of rushing Sawyer to the doctor, assuring him that she had just been crying because she was hungry.

"Mom?" Sam asked, interrupting Lucas's rant about flu season approaching. "Is it okay if I go out with a group for pizza?"

"A group, huh?" Brooke asked nonchalantly. "Who's all going?"

"Just some kids from the squad and the team," Sam said, trying to look innocent.

"One of those kids wouldn't happen to be named Mitchell, would they?" Brooke asked smugly, raising her eyebrows.

"Mom!" Sam hissed. "He's standing like, three feet away! Keep your voice down!"

Brooke laughed, enjoying Sam's awkward discomfort probably more than she should. "Is Lucy going to drive you?"

"Yes."

"Okay then. Home by 10:30. You have school tomorrow," Brooke said seriously.

"Awesome! Thanks Mom!" Sam said, trying not to skip with delight as she hurried back to Mitchell.

Lucas watched with a critical eye as the two teens headed out of the gym. "Mitchell Bennett, huh?" he asked concernedly.

"Yes, Mitchell Bennett," Brooke replied easily. "He seems like a great kid. He took really good care of Sam at that party the other week. And I think he likes her a lot. Why, is he a secret dope dealer or something?"

"I haven't had any problems with him so far," Lucas admitted reluctantly. "He's usually pretty hard working and polite. But you know how athletes can be…maybe I ought to have a talk with him about Sam."

"Lucas Scott!" Brooke admonished. "They haven't even gone out on a date yet! They're just getting pizza. For goodness sakes, if you're this overprotective of Sam, I shudder to think of what you'll be like when Sawyer goes on her first date."

"I'll be dead before Sawyer starts dating," Lucas said immediately. "She'll be lucky if I don't decide to home school her until she's eighteen."

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Come on," she said, tugging his free arm. "Let's get Karen and the girls and hit the road. Maybe we can stop for ice cream."

"Or pizza," Lucas said innocently. He grunted as Brooke elbowed him in the side and gave him a glare.

**Oh, I can already tell I'm going to have a lot of fun writing overprotective Lucas! I think this chapter turned out pretty nicely…lots of fun tidbits with a bunch of characters. Coming up next: You'll know as soon as I know! Feel free to make suggestions. Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hi everyone! Alright, so I know this chapter might seem like I'm rushing the Mitchell thing, but I have a reason, I promise! Mitchell and Sam's relationship is going to play a role in getting Brooke and Lucas together, so it needed to develop sooner rather than later. But no one panic, this is still a family fic-romance will be on an as-needed basis. On a side note, I've received a comment that I have numerous spelling and grammar errors throughout my fics. I have spent this evening scouring my fics looking for said errors, and I've found approximately eight within all 28 chapters of my stories. Guys, I've got to be honest with you, comments like that really hurt when they're made publicly, especially if they aren't true. There are very few spelling and grammatical errors within my stories and some of them are intentional, since people in real life often do not speak with proper grammar. So if you all could do me a favor, and simply PM me when you have a specific complaint like that, I would really appreciate it. That way we can discuss it and not have it broadcasted all over the place. Maybe I'm an idealist and too sensitive, but I just think that reviews should be encouraging since they are seen by the rest of the world. I never leave negative reviews, and I would like others to extend the same courtesy to me. I still welcome everyone's ideas in terms of what plot points you would like to see, so don't be shy about those! Anyways, sorry for that little rant-onto the good stuff!**

Mitchell knocked tentatively on Lucas's open office door. "You wanted to see me, Coach?" he asked, a note of confusion in his voice.

Lucas glanced up from the stats sheet was studying and waved the teen in. "Have a seat, Mitchell," he said cordially, gesturing to the wooden chair in front of his desk. Mitchell sat down and folded his hands in his lap. Lucas put the stats sheet back in his binder and leaned back in his office chair.

"Don't worry, you're not in trouble," he assured him, noticing that the boy looked a bit apprehensive. "I just wanted to have chat with you to see how you were doing. I know what it's like to be the new kid on the team, and it's got to be doubly hard to be the new kid in school. How are you fitting in?"

"Pretty good, Coach," Mitchell said, relaxing his shoulders as he realized he wasn't there for a lecture. "The guys are all really great, and I actually like a lot of my teachers."

"That's good to hear," Lucas said conversationally. "So you're keeping those grades up?"

"Oh, yes sir, Coach," Mitchell promised. "Even if I didn't have to keep them up to be eligible to play, I would still be working my butt off. My dad would kill me if I ever came home with anything less than a C+."

Lucas laughed. "Yeah, I remember what that was like," he said. "So, the big Homecoming Dance is this weekend, isn't it?"

"Uh, yes sir," Mitchell said, a little baffled at the sudden change in topic.

"Going with anybody special?" Lucas asked innocently.

Mitchell began to feel a twinge of nervousness as he began to follow the direction of the conversation. "I'm, uh, going with Sam Davis, Coach. I…thought she told you," he said unsurely.

"Ah, that's right," Lucas said, sitting back up in his chair. "You must be pretty excited about that, huh?"

"Um…yes, sir, I am," Mitchell said slowly, leaning back slightly away from the desk. "Sam's a really great girl."

"That she is," Lucas said, placing his elbows on his desks and folding his hands under his chin. "Mitchell, do you have a car?"

"Uh…not yet, Coach. I don't take my driving test for another three months."

"Well, what would you say if I were to lend you a brand new, bright red Ferrari?" Lucas asked.

"You have a Ferrari?" Mitchell asked incredulously.

"No," Lucas said patiently. "I'm asking what you would do if I did lend you one. Would you take care of it? Or would you drive it too fast, or crash it, or scratch it up?"

"…I would take care of it, Coach," Mitchell said, chuckling weakly. "I wouldn't damage anything that special, especially if it was on loan to me."

"That's good to know, Mitchell," Lucas said seriously, leaning across the desk. "Because Samantha Davis is more important to me than the most expensive car in the world could ever be. So I'm glad to know that, while she's on loan to you during the dance, you will not be going too fast or hurting her in any way. Because if that were to happen, I would be…displeased. Do you get what I'm saying, Mitch?"

Mitchell's breathing became slightly shallow as Lucas's blue eyes bored into his. "I understand you, Sir," he said, nodding furiously. "I promise, I will take really good care of Sam."

"Good," Lucas said, smiling as he leaned back in his chair and reopened his binder. "I'm glad we could have this talk, Mitchell. I'll see you tomorrow for practice."

"See you, Coach," Mitchell said, jumping to his feet and backing out of the doorway.

Lucas smirked to himself as the dark haired teen bolted from the locker room. "Mission accomplished," he said to himself. He was convinced that Sam would be perfectly safe, at least from Mitchell, during the night of the dance. He went back to reading stats sheets, only to be interrupted by his cell phone ringing.

"Hey Mom," he said, picking up the phone. His eyes went wide as his mother started talking. "Is she okay? You're sure? Alright, I'm on my way over." Barely half a minute later, Lucas was out the door, his stats binder long forgotten on his desk.

Later that evening, Haley, Nathan, and Jamie went over to Brooke's house for dinner.

"Come on in guys," Brooke said warmly, giving Jamie a huge hug as he wrapped his arms around her legs. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Of course!" Haley said, giving her best friend a hug as she and her husband stepped inside the doorway. "Is Lucas here yet?"

"He's not going to be able to make it," Brooke said. "I guess Sawyer started developing colic today while she was at Karen's, and he wanted to stay home with her and try and help her sleep."

"Aw, poor baby," Haley said sympathetically. "I remember when Jamie had colic. I don't think I slept for a week straight."

"I do feel bad for Sawyer, but I'm starting to think this might be a bit of karma for Lucas," Brooke said drily, going over to the kitchen and checking on the meatloaf in the oven.

"Oh Lord, what did my idiot brother do now?" Nathan asked, going to the fridge and helping himself to a beer.

"Apparently, he ambushed Mitchell Bennett in his office today," Brooke said, going to grab a bottle of wine for herself and Haley. "Sam mentioned that they were going to the Homecoming Dance together, and I guess Lucas thought it was his job to make sure his intentions were honorable. Mitchell called Sam about an hour ago to tell her about it, and the poor boy sounded frightened out of his wits."

"Oh my God!" Haley said, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Is he still pulling that overprotective crap? I thought he'd gotten it all out of his system when I started dating Nathan."

"I think that his reaction to you dating me involved a lot more than overprotectiveness," Nathan reminded her.

"True," Haley admitted. "But still, he does this a lot. I know he cares about Sam, but he's got to let her live her life. Where is she right now?"

"Up in her room, sulking," Brooke said, pouring a glass of wine for herself. "She threw a mini-fit after talking to Mitchell, stormed upstairs, and hasn't been seen since. I was going to go talk to her once you got here and could keep an eye on the food."

"Would you mind if I gave it a shot first? I have experience dealing with overprotective Scott men," Haley said, giving Nathan a pointed look. "Plus, it might be nice for her to know that someone other than you is on her side."

"Be my guest," Brooke said, nodding towards the stairs. "Jimmy Jam, why don't you go up with your mom? Chelsea's in her room playing. I'll keep an eye on Mr. Scott the Younger until dinner's ready."

"Okay," Jamie said happily, running away from the boring adult conversation. Haley shook her head and followed him.

"So, Sam's dating Mitchell Bennett, huh?" Nathan asked, taking a swig of his beer. "First boyfriend-that's a big step."

"Don't you dare get started on her too, Nathan Scott!" Brooke ordered, pointing a fork at him in warning as she got silverware from the drawer. "The way you two are acting, you'd think she was dating some sleazy coke dealer in his early thirties! And besides, they aren't dating yet; they're just going to a dance."

"Whoa, hold the phone!" Nathan said emphatically, holding his hands up in defense. "I was just commenting on the situation. I have no intentions of teaming up with Lucas to scar Mitchell or Sam for life."

"Promise?" Brooke asked suspiciously. "Because I will not hesitate to shove this fork up your nose, just like I did during our kindergarten class picnic."

"Ouch, I forgot about that," Nathan winced, touching his nose in remembrance. "You were really a brat back then, you know that?"

"If I may remind you, the reason you got cutlery jammed up your nose is because you tried to steal my Oreos," Brooke said smugly. "So who was the real brat?"

"I'm not even going to attempt to argue with you on this one," Nathan said, shaking his head. "Anyway, getting back to the important situation, I don't have much of a problem with Mitchell dating Sam. Or dancing with her, or whatever it is he's doing. Haley says he's a great student, and he's always respectful and driven during practice. I met his parents after our last game, and they seem like good people, so it stands to reason that he was raised right. To be honest, I'm not sure Sam could find a better guy."

"That's good to hear," Brooke said, setting the fork down to Nathan's relief. "I've gotten the same impression of him, but it's nice to have confirmation that I'm right. Sam's a little biased about him, and Lucas is being somewhat…unreasonable when discussing him."

"Brooke, it wouldn't matter if Sam was dating Michael Jordan's offspring; Lucas would still manage to have a problem with him," Nathan said with a chuckle. "He's always overprotective of the people he cares about, and Sam has a really special place in his heart. She has a special place in all our hearts, but you know they've been tight from day one. Besides, I think he's gotten even more protective since Peyton died. He's worried about someone else he loves getting hurt."

"I know," Brooke said with a sigh. "In some ways, I actually don't mind him being so overbearing. I knew when I adopted Sam that I had a lot to offer, but the one thing I didn't have to offer her was a father. I know that isn't Lucas's job, but when I heard that he'd lectured Mitchell…I don't know, it just seemed like something a father would do. Irritating as it was, it was the tiniest bit sweet."

"I think that Luke would be proud to be Sam's father. I know I would," Nathan said with a smile. "And listen, I'll try and talk to him; see if I can get him to back off a little. Sam's feelings aside, I don't need Luke scaring this kid so badly that he quits the team in fear."

"I know Sam would appreciate that. I think she was pretty embarrassed by the whole thing."

"Anything for family," Nathan said sincerely.

"When did you stop being a tool and become such a wonderful man?" Brooke asked curiously.

"Shut up, Davis," Nathan replied, downing another swig of beer.

While Nathan and Brooke were talking downstairs, Haley had sent Jamie off to Chelsea's room before knocking on Sam's door.

"Go away!" came a muffled voice from inside.

"Hey, is that anyway to talk your teacher, young lady?" Haley said in mock sternness as she opened the door.

"Aunt Haley, I'm really not in the mood to talk right now," Sam sighed, hugging her pillow to her chest.

"Yeah, I heard," Haley said, sitting down on the bed next to her niece. "I just wanted to take the time to welcome you to the club."

"What club?" Sam asked in confusion.

"The Lucas Scott Interfered in my Relationship because He's an Overprotective Dweeb Club," Haley said with a smirk. "Haley James Scott; member since 2003."

"Okay, your situation? Totally different from mine," Sam retorted, tossing her pillow aside in frustration. "Uncle Nathan was a total jerk when you started dating him; plus, he had all those outside problems with Uncle Lucas. Mitchell is this sweet, awesome, kind guy, and Uncle Lucas was terrorizing him for no reason!"

"Hey, hey, calm down," Haley said, scooting up on the bed so she could put her arm around Sam. "I know that Mitchell is a wonderful guy, and I couldn't be happier that you two are dating."

"Ugh, we're not even dating yet!" Sam cried, covering her face in exasperation.

"Okay, then I'm glad that you two are going to a dance together," Haley acquiesced. "For the record, I don't think that Lucas should have ambushed Mitchell like that. But try to see it from his point of view, okay? He's still dealing with losing Peyton, and even if he doesn't realize it, he's trying to protect everyone else around him from getting hurt. I know it seems like he was being a jerk, but he was just doing it because he loves you."

"Well, I'm starting to wish he didn't," Sam grumbled.

"Hey, watch it," Haley said firmly, giving her a tap on the leg. "You're lucky to have Lucas in your life, and you know it. He loves you with all his heart, and he would do anything for you."

"I know that," Sam said, looking slightly ashamed. "I just…I never thought I'd meet a guy as great as Mitchell, and I don't want anything to ruin that."

"Did Mitchell decide not to go to the dance with you?" Haley asked her. "Did he say he didn't want to see you anymore?"

"No," Sam admitted. "He said that, even though Uncle Lucas freaked him out, he couldn't wait to go with me. He said he thought I'd be the most beautiful girl at the dance," she added, blushing.

"I see," Haley said, smiling down at her. "So what you're telling me is, you've got a man in your life who loves you so much that he's willing to fill in for the role of a protective Dad, and a boy who likes you so much that he's willing to take whatever that man dishes out. Doesn't sound like a total disaster to me, kiddo."

"Do you get paid overtime for being all preachy outside the classroom?" Sam asked sarcastically, giving Haley a side glance.

"Why, you little…" Haley said as she picked up another one of Sam's pillows and bopped her over the head with it. "I was going to offer to talk to Lucas for you, but now I think I'll encourage him."

"Ow! Stop!" Sam said, laughing as Haley swatted her again. "I'm sorry, okay!" Haley put the pillow down with a satisfied smirk, and Sam gave her a hug. "Thanks, Aunt Haley," she said sincerely.

"You're welcome, Sammy," Haley said, squeezing her tightly. "Now what do you say we get the munchkins and head downstairs? Nathan and Brooke are probably bantering over something and letting dinner burn."

Three nights later, four separate camera flashes went off as Sam descended the stairs in a purple silk dress, sewn by her mother just for the occasion. Brooke had curled her hair and pinned it so it trailed down her back like a flowing waterfall. Everyone had come over to see her off, including Lucas, who was looking like a zombie after staying up with Sawyer for the past few nights.

"Alright, Beautiful, show me that gorgeous smile!" Brooke said, aiming her camera as Sam reached the landing.

"Looking good, Sam!" Andy said, videotaping the proceedings.

"You guys!" Sam complained. "This isn't the red carpet, for God's sake."

"It's the first time you're going to a high school dance; that is much more important than the red carpet," Brooke said with finality. "Now tell everyone goodbye so you'll be ready to leave when Mitchell gets here."

Sam obligingly made the rounds, picking Chelsea up and giving her a big kiss that left lip gloss stains. When she got to Lucas, she stopped, unsure of what to do next. She hadn't spoken to him since the incident with Mitchell, but she knew that he had been firmly chastised by Nathan, Haley, and Karen.

Lucas had passed Sawyer off to Karen several minutes ago, and now he looked at his niece with apologetic eyes. "I hope you have fun tonight," he said softly. "You know that I love you, right?"

"I know," Sam said with a smile, leaning in for a hug. "If anyone else had pulled what you pulled, I'd have kicked them where it hurts. But I love you, too."

Lucas laughed, giving her a kiss on top of the head. "You be careful, kiddo," he said. "Have a good time."

Just as Sam was giving Brooke one final hug, the doorbell rang. She went to answer it, and was met by a smiling Mitchell, who was looking incredibly handsome and carrying a corsage made of orchids.

"Hey Sam," he said, unable to mask his goofy grin. "You look amazing."

"Thanks," Sam said shyly, holding out her wrist so he could slide on the corsage. "You look great, too."

Brooke made them both come back inside so she could snap another two dozen pictures. Mitchell's eyes darted nervously over towards his coach, but Lucas behaved himself; mostly because his mother was standing two feet away and had threatened to knock him senseless if he tried anything. Eventually, Sam was able to convince Brooke that they were going to be late, so Brooke reluctantly allowed them to go outside, where Mitchell's Dad was waiting to drive them to the dance.

The dance itself was incredible, as far as high school dances go. Lucy was named Homecoming Queen, and all of the cheerleaders danced together to celebrate. Sam got some great pictures with all of them, even with Rachel, who had been laying low since the beach incident. But most of Sam's attention throughout the night was focused on Mitchell, who turned out to be a pretty gifted dancer. They probably danced to at least thirty different songs, but at the end of the night, Sam only remembered one of them. Halfway through the strains of Lifehouse's _You and Me_, Mitchell looked into her eyes and leaned down, giving her a sweet, tender kiss. Sam was taken by surprise, but she returned the kiss, and when they finally broke apart, they both stared at each other for a moment. Mitchell looked at Sam questioningly, wondering if he had rushed things, but Sam gave him a genuine smile, and leaned into his chest as the song finished.

On the way home, the pair held hands discreetly in the backseat. Mitchell's dad pulled up to the Davis house, and Mitchell got out to escort his date to the door.

"I had a really great time tonight, Sam," he said when they reached the porch.

"Me too," she said, her face starting to hurt from smiling so much.

"Listen, I'd really like to give you a kiss goodnight, but I don't want to have my dad bombarding me with questions the whole way home," he said apologetically.

"It's okay," Sam assured him. "My Uncle Lucas could be hiding in the bushes with a shotgun for all we know. Besides," she added softly, "One kiss was enough to make my night."

Mitchell beamed so widely that it looked like his lips would go right off his face. "Same here," he said tenderly. "I'll see you in school on Monday. Goodnight, Sam."

"Goodnight," Sam said, watching him head down the walkway. As soon as he was back in the car, she opened the front door and waltzed into the house.

"Hey sweetheart," Brooke called from the couch. She had been working on some sketches while waiting up for Sam, but she set her pad down as her daughter walked in. "How was it?"

Sam didn't say anything, just glided over to her mom and collapsed on the couch next to her with a big smile on her face.

"Uh oh," Brooke said, starting to smile herself. "I know that look. Granted, I wore that look when I was eight, but I still know it. You got your first kiss, didn't you?"

Sam nodded happily, curling up to her mother and closing her eyes. "Don't tell Uncle Lucas," she said dreamily. "I want this moment to be perfect for as long as it can."

"Of course, Baby," Brooke said, putting her arm around her and giving her a gentle kiss on the head. "Anything for you."

**For those of you looking forward to the kiss, I apologize if I rushed over it, but I just didn't want the story to get too romantic this early. I couldn't think of a song for them to be dancing to, so finally I went with the song my date and I requested at prom. Coming up next: I thought I'd write another Thanksgiving chapter since that particular holiday turned out so well for the characters in my other fic, lol. I've got it outlined in my head, so I can tell you that Sam will be bringing a guest for Thanksgiving dinner, and Lucas and Brooke will have a…intimate moment. Want to know more? Review! **


	15. Chapter 15

**Hi everyone! Whew…updating is a lot harder when you actually have a life! Just in case any of you don't read my other story, I am starting law school, so my updates will be a little less frequent. For those of you who have asked, I'm all settled into my new place, and I'm having a great time! Law camp begins tomorrow, so it'll probably be another week before you guys get another update. I hope you guys enjoy this one…it was difficult to write. Read and review!**

When Sam had been adopted by Brooke a year ago, she thought she was the happiest girl in the world. Six months later, when Chelsea came into the picture, she was positive that life couldn't get any better. Now, two weeks after the Homecoming Dance, Sam had to keep pinching herself to make sure she hadn't died and gone to Heaven. She had a great mom, a loving and not too annoying little sister, and the handsomest, kindest, most perfect boyfriend in the whole universe. The first time Mitchell had seen Sam at school after the dance, he had asked her nervously to be his girlfriend. Sam had accepted without hesitation, and had walked around the rest of the day with a grin on her face that could rival the Cheshire Cat's.

Brooke had been delighted when Sam had come bouncing in the front door after school and shared the good news. Even though it stung a little bit to see one of her babies growing up so fast, she was relieved that Sam had found such a nice, responsible guy, and wouldn't be slumming around with random teenage boys like Brooke had done in her early high school years. So far, it didn't seem like she would have to worry about her daughter doing anything crazy, even though she was in a relationship. Mitchell and Sam had gone out on a couple of dates on the weekends, but mostly Mitchell came over to the Davis house after practice to study or watch movies with Sam. Chelsea adored him, and Brooke simply loved to see how happy Sam was when she was with him. After quietly observing their interactions the first couple of times Mitchell came over, Brooke felt comfortable letting them stay in the house by themselves. She had given Sam a stern lecture about not going up to her bedroom and not doing anything more than kiss, which Sam had surprisingly listened to without complaint.

On this brisk November afternoon, Sam and Mitchell were willingly complying with Brooke's rules as they sat together on the living room couch comparing history notes. They were leafing through a textbook trying to resolve a discrepancy they were having about the Cold War, when Brooke and Chelsea came back from a shopping expedition. Chelsea immediately ran over to her new favorite boy, leaving Brooke to try and balance a heavy armload of groceries and hold the door open by herself.

"Mitch!" Chelsea said happily, jumping into the older boy's lap and throwing her arms around him. "I missed you!"

"You just saw me yesterday, Chels," Mitchell laughed, disentangling himself from Chelsea's grasp. "But it's good to see you anyway."

Sam rolled her eyes good-naturedly as she hurried to help her mom with the groceries. "Chelsea, why don't you get your own boyfriend and leave mine alone?" she teased. "Like, maybe someone your own age?"

"Boys my age are icky," Chelsea replied, wrinkling her tiny nose. "Mitch is the best. Besides, Uncle Lucas told me an' Lily we weren't allowed to date until we was done with college," she added matter-of-factly.

"Well, at least he's moved on to you and stopped bugging Sam," Mitchell said sarcastically. He immediately blushed as he caught Brooke's raised eyebrow out of the corner of his eye. "Sorry, Ms. Davis."

"Mitch, the only thing you have to apologize for is your consistent refusal to call me Brooke," Brooke said lightly, putting things away in the cabinets and refrigerator. "I know Lucas was driving you a little nuts for a while, but I'm glad to hear he's trying to move on."

"I think Uncle Nathan threatened to slug him if he kept glaring at Mitch during practice," Sam commented, doing her part to help put away the groceries. "Jeez, Mom, did we invite a small African nation to have Thanksgiving with us? What's with all the food?"

"I just wanted to make sure we had enough," Brooke said defensively. "We have a pretty big family, and Nathan could probably put away one turkey by himself. Besides, Karen and Haley and I wanted to make sure we had everyone's favorites on hand. I bought extra sweet potatoes for my sweet potato," she teased, pinching Sam's cheek affectionately.

"Ah, Mom!" Sam complained, darting away from Brooke. "Company here!"

Brooke laughed and went back to the groceries. "So, what are you doing for Thanksgiving, Mitchell?" she asked conversationally.

"Well, we usually go to my grandparents' place in Georgia," Mitchell said. "But my mom and dad wanted to go on a cruise for their 20th anniversary, and this week was the only one they could work out. So it'll just be me and some take-out Chinese for Thanksgiving this year."

"You don't get to have Thanksgiving?" Chelsea said, her eyes widening with sadness. "I've never had Thanksgiving before, and it made me really sad. I get to have it this year cause I live with Mama. I don't want you to be sad," she said with a pout.

Mitchell just stared at the little girl sympathetically, not knowing how to respond, but Brooke quickly rushed to his rescue. "He'll get to have Thanksgiving, sweetheart," she said, coming over and lifting Chelsea off of Mitchell's lap. "He's going to have Thanksgiving with us."

"He is?" Sam and Chelsea asked, at the same time Mitchell asked, "I am?"

"Of course," Brooke said in a no-nonsense tone. "Thanksgiving is a time for family, and as long as you're dating Sam, you're part of the family. We'll pick you up on Thursday morning, and you'll come spend the day with us at Karen and Andy's house."

"Mom, are you sure?" Sam asked worriedly. "I mean, not that I'm unhappy about getting to spend the holidays with Mitch, but you guys do remember that Uncle Lucas will be there? He'll see us together? Holding hands and…stuff?"

"You leave Lucas Eugene Scott to me," Brooke said with finality. "He will be nothing but gracious on Thanksgiving, or he'll have me to deal with."

"Eugene?" Mitchell questioned, a smile forming on his lips.

Brooke gave him a look. "If you ever mention it in front of him, I am not responsible for what happens to you," she warned. "But speaking of Lucas, I told him I would drop by sometime this evening to give him a little break with Sawyer. Sam, do you mind watching your sister until I get back?"

"Sure, no problem," Sam said, coming over and taking Chelsea from Brooke's arms. "We can play the 'Clean Sissy's room for her' game."

"Ha, nice try," Brooke smirked. "How about you play the "My boyfriend goes home because it's late, I feed my little sister the frozen pizza mom bought, and then I clean my own room before I get grounded' game? Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"How about we play the 'Mom's a killjoy' game?" Sam grumbled.

"I'll see you later," Brooke chuckled, giving Sam's hair an affectionate tousle. "Mitchell, I'll see you out," she said gently but firmly.

"Sure Ms. Da…uh, Brooke," Mitchell said, jumping to his feet and gathering his books. "Later, Chels. Bye, Sam," he added more tenderly.

"Bye," Sam said with a smile.

Brooke smiled as she left the house with Mitchell on her heels. She was still smiling when she rang Lucas's doorbell, and her smile got even wider when Lucas answered the door with a drooling Sawyer in his arms.

"There's my little Princess," she cooed, reaching out her arms for the baby. "How's my girl doing?"

"A little better, thank God," Lucas said tiredly, showing her into the living room. "I think her colic is finally easing up a bit. The doctor said it will be at least three more weeks before she's over it, though."

"Aw, my poor sweetheart," Brooke said sympathetically, giving Sawyer a tender kiss on her downy hair. "How are you holding up?" she asked Lucas, cuddling the baby to her chest.

"Oh, I've been better," Lucas sighed. "How are things over at your place?"

"Going pretty well," Brooke replied. "Although lately I feel like I have three kids instead of two, what with Mitchell being over at our house every waking moment. Speaking of Mitchell, I invited him for Thanksgiving dinner. His folks will be out of town, and I hate to see a kid alone on the holidays. I assume I don't need to give you a lecture on how to treat him?" she asked, the mildest hint of a threat coming through in her voice.

"I'll behave myself," Lucas defended. "I've been very good the past couple of weeks."

"Yeah, because Nathan _and _Karen threatened to kick your ass," Brooke scoffed.

"Whatever the reason, I've been treating the kid pretty well," Lucas insisted. "And I think I can manage to be polite on Thanksgiving .I'll even shoot for friendly if you promise that you won't be checking on me every five minutes to make sure I'm behaving."

"You've got a deal," Brooke said with a smile. Her smile quickly faded as Sawyer suddenly let out a loud wail. "Oh Baby, what is it?" she cooed, lifting Sawyer up to her shoulder and rocking her gently.

"Oh God, what do you want now, Sawyer?" Lucas asked pleadingly. "I just gave her a bottle half an hour ago, and she's been changed…"he kept rambling as he stood up and started to walk out of the room in search of something to calm his child.

"Wait a minute, Luke," Brooke said, patting Sawyer's back. "She's calming down now…she's just fussing a little." Lucas sat back down and dragged his hands through his hair in a frustrated gesture. "Hey, you okay?" Brooke asked concernedly.

"No," Lucas admitted, leaning back on the couch with a heavy sigh. "It was difficult enough being a single parent to a healthy child, but now that Sawyer is feeling so bad…I don't know, I'm just overwhelmed. Thank God Mom and Andy moved back; otherwise I would have probably had a nervous breakdown right now. Between them and you and Nate and Haley, I'm managing to hold onto the last scrap of my sanity."

"It is great to have such a close knit family," Brooke agreed, rubbing Sawyer's back gently as the baby continued to whimper. "I don't know how I would have managed with Sam and Chelsea this first year without all of you guys around."

Lucas turned his head and looked at her intently. "Do you ever…do you ever feel like…maybe you're not enough for them?" he asked softly. "I mean, I think you are more than enough for them, don't get me wrong," he said quickly. "It's just sometimes…I feel like I'm not enough for Sawyer. Like I can't give her everything she needs. I don't know how to be better for her."

"Luke, you are being the best parent you can possibly be," Brooke assured him. "Sawyer is so lucky to have you. And yes, I have felt that way so many times since I've had the girls that I've lost count. Do you remember, about a month after I got Chelsea, she came down with the flu? I was so frazzled with trying to take care of her that I completely forgot to pick up Sam from school. She couldn't get in touch with me, so she had to walk two miles back to the house. I remember I was sitting next to Chelsea's bed, trying to get her to eat some soup, when Sam walked in. She was shivering because it was the middle of winter, and I had been so preoccupied that morning that I hadn't made her wear her down jacket. I realized what I had done, and I started to say something, but she just looked at me with hurt disappointment on her face. She forgave me after a day or so, but I felt like the worst mother in the world," Brooke said quietly. "So you see, you're already a better parent than I am. You haven't forgotten about Sawyer for a second since she came into this world."

"You're probably going to smack me for saying this, but I'm actually kind of glad to hear that you screwed up that badly," Lucas said with a half-hearted grin. "You are the best mother I have ever known besides my own, and if even you make mistakes like that, then maybe I'll be okay with Sawyer."

"I would smack you if I wasn't holding your baby," she replied with a raised eyebrow. "But thank you. I don't think I'm the best mother in the world, but it's sweet of you to say so."

"Why do you always doubt yourself?" Lucas asked, sounding slightly frustrated as he placed his elbows on his knees and leaned in towards her. "You have always been a caring, nurturing, incredible person, and you've never realized it."

"Luke…" Brooke protested, blushing slightly.

"I'm serious, Brooke. When are you going to realize what a wonderful mother and a wonderful human being you are?"

"Maybe when you realize what a wonderful father and what a wonderful human being you are," Brooke challenged, leaning towards him as well. The two friends stared at each other down with their eyebrows raised for a moment, before their gazes softened and they looked deep into each other's eyes. For a period of mere seconds, the world stood still, and Brooke Davis and Lucas Scott leaned even closer towards one another. Both of their eyes started to close, but before their lips could touch, Brooke snapped out of it and leaned back so fast that she almost dropped the baby.

"I…I have to go," she stuttered, handing Sawyer to Lucas and standing up.

"Brooke, wait," Lucas said hastily, jumping to his feet as well. "Don't go."

"I have to," Brooke said, her voice laced with confusion and a symphony of other emotions. "I'll…see you on Thanksgiving," she said awkwardly, rushing out the door.

Three days later, Mitchell and Sam were seated on the humongous suede couch at Karen and Andy's house, watching the Thanksgiving proceedings with a great deal of interest. The three younger kids had learned about the first Thanksgiving in school, and they had decided to spend the day pretending to be Indians. They were currently running through the house, whooping and waving fake tomahawks, while Andy followed close behind to make sure they didn't break anything. Nathan was watching the football game as Sawyer slept peacefully on his lap. Lucas was pretending to watch with him, but the observant teenagers noticed that his gaze was more often focused on the three women bustling around the kitchen than on the men tackling each other on the field.

"Okay, seriously? Something is up with my mom and Uncle Lucas," Sam whispered to Mitchell. "Mom has been really weird the past few days. She keeps dropping stuff and forgetting what she's doing, and she totally ignored Uncle Lucas when we got here."

"Tell me about it," Mitchell whispered back. "We've been holding hands for the past half hour, and Coach Scott hasn't glared at me once. Something is definitely going on here."

The teens' suspicions were confirmed when Lucas abruptly stood up and entered the kitchen area. "Hey Brooke, do you mind taking a walk with me? I could use some fresh air," he said earnestly.

"I'm pretty busy here, Lucas," Brooke said, avoiding his gaze as she furiously peeled a potato.

"Oh hey, don't worry about it," Haley said breezily, coming over and snatching the peeler out of Brooke's hands. "Karen and I have this under control, and nobody's going to starve if dinner is half an hour late. You guys go ahead."

"But…" Brooke protested.

"Brooke, it's a holiday," Karen interjected with a smile, not noticing Brooke's discomfort. "Go and relax for a little while. We'll be alright."

Brooke gave an imperceptible sigh and followed Lucas reluctantly out the back door. They were barely off the porch when Lucas began to speak. "Brooke, we've got to talk about the other night," he started.

"There is nothing to talk about," Brooke snapped, folding her arms against her chest as she walked. "Nothing happened. And nothing will happen."

"Something did happen, and you know it," Lucas insisted. "We can't just pretend like this doesn't exist. Don't you remember in high school when..."

"Oh right, high school," Brooke laughed sarcastically. "You mean when my heart was broken every time you chose Peyton over me? Is that what you want me to remember? Because believe me, Lucas, I remember it very clearly. And sooner or later, you are going to remember that Peyton's gone, and that I'm not her. And even if you did decide you could love me as much as you loved Peyton, you and I being together would be an insult to her memory. How could you even think about doing that to her?"

"Did you ever stop and think that maybe this is what Peyton would have wanted?" Lucas exploded. "I was her fiancé, you were her best friend. She would want us to be happy, Brooke!"

"Not like this!" Brooke cried, tears starting to well up in her eyes. "She wouldn't have wanted me to replace her! I can't replace her!"

"No one is asking you too, Brooke," Lucas pleaded, coming toward her and grasping her hands in his. "I don't want you to be Peyton. I want you to be Brooke. I want you to be the girl behind the red door that I could always count on to make me smile."

The tears began to slip down Brooke's cheeks as she turned away from him. "I have to go," she whispered, pulling her hands from his and running back into the house, leaving Lucas standing in desperate frustration.

Nathan had handed Sawyer off to Sam, and was grabbing a beer out of the fridge when Brooke came hurrying through the door. "Hey, you alright?" he asked concernedly. "You look like you've been crying."

"I'm fine," Brooke choked, rushing to wipe her tears away. "I'm just…I'm not feeling too well. I think I need to go home and lie down for a bit. Do you think you could keep an eye on the girls for me?"

"Yeah, sure," Nathan said gently, giving her a one-armed hug. "You need me to drive you home?"

"No, that's okay," Brooke said, giving him a weak smile. "I'll be back in time for dinner. I just…I need some rest."

"Alright," Nathan said warily. "Be careful. If we don't hear from you in two hours, I'm coming over."

"Okay," Brooke said, practically running out the door and diving into her car. She made it home in half the time it usually took her, and she ran up to her room and threw herself down on the bed. She sobbed into her pillow like an adolescent girl with her first broken heart, only this time, her heart wasn't broken. It was overflowing with love for Lucas Scott, the boy she had loved for the past eight years. When she had first realized that Peyton and Lucas were meant to be, she had bowed out gracefully, and put on a brave face as her best friend embarked on a life with the man of her dreams. But that love never disappeared; just stayed buried deep inside her heart. And now that Peyton was gone…but that didn't matter, did it? Lucas would still always belong to Peyton, no matter where she was. But she wasn't here, and Lucas was saying he wanted her…Brooke found herself longing more than ever to talk to her best friend. Even though the Lucas drama had often caused them problems when Peyton was alive, there had been moments when the two girls had leaned on each other for support when dealing with him, and Brooke needed that support now.

Brooke grabbed a tissue from the box next to her bed and blew her nose. She sat up, wiping her tears away, and opened the small drawer in the nightstand. She extracted a white envelope, with her name written across the front in Peyton's scrawling script. Brooke drew a deep breath, and broke the seal of the envelope with her perfectly manicured fingernail.

**I'm so freaking excited that it's finally time for the letter! I've been drafting it in my head for weeks. Obviously, the reading of the letter is what's coming up next, followed by the conclusion of Thanksgiving dinner. I'm hoping that Leyton and Brucas supporters alike will enjoy the next chapter. I know it's frustrating for you guys that my updates are coming more slowly, but I hope you stick with me! Thanks for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi everyone! Sorry the updates are coming slow, but in my defense, this has been a crappy week. Law camp actually hasn't sucked…I don't feel quite as dumb as I thought I would. However, this week I found out that my grandmother is terminally ill and only has a few months to live, and I had to finish all my law camp work with that weighing on my mind. So all in all, not the greatest week ever. But I'm regrouping for my first day of classes tomorrow, which will hopefully go well. Plus, Tuesday is my Golden Birthday! For those of you who don't know, that means I'll be 23 on the 23****rd****, which is pretty nifty. So, even if you don't like this chapter, tell me you do as an early birthday present! Enjoy!**

Brooke broke the seal on the envelope, and extracted a letter and photo from within. Her breath caught as she looked at the small snapshot of her and Peyton at their first basketball game as freshmen. They both looked so innocent and carefree…well, as carefree as Peyton had ever looked, anyway. Their arms were around each other, and they were laughing in the direction of the camera. Brooke blinked rapidly to prevent more tears from falling on the photo. She placed it almost reverently on top of her nightstand before looking back down at the letter in her hands.

She was practically trembling as she unfolded the white paper. She knew that once she had finished reading the letter, she would never talk to Peyton again. She didn't know what she was expecting to find in the letter, and at that point, she didn't care. She just wanted to hear her best friend's voice one last time. Smoothing the paper out over her lap, she took a deep breath and began to read.

_Dear Brooke,_

_Let me say for the record that I really hope you never see this letter. If you are reading this, it means that for the first time, I was the one who left. Everybody leaves, right? I guess it had to be my turn sooner or later. I've known for a while now that this pregnancy might not turn out the way I want it to, so I'm writing to you and to everyone else I love just in case. There are some things I need to tell you, and you better listen to me, because if you don't, I'm coming back to haunt your ass._

_First of all, isn't my baby girl beautiful? I've known she was a girl for a few weeks now, but I haven't told anyone, including Lucas. I did tell him that if the baby was a girl, her name was supposed to be Sawyer Brooke, so if he named her something else I'm coming back to haunt __his __ass. I'm so excited to have a daughter, Brooke. I always dreamed of having a little girl and giving her the childhood I didn't get to have. But clearly, I screwed that one up right out of the starting gate, since my little Sawyer is going to grow up not knowing her mother, just like me. I wanted her to have the perfect childhood. I wanted her to grow up believing that everybody stays. Again, I'm not doing so hot thus far._

_Second of all, I just wanted to apologize to you. Of everyone in my life, you were the one I could always count on. You never left me, even though I gave you plenty of reasons to. Not that you were perfect, Brooke, so don't get arrogant on me now! But anyways, I wanted to apologize for leaving you. You will always and forever be my best friend, and I know my death is probably killing you. And I'm so sorry for that, but I hope you know that I didn't want to go. I wanted to stay and raise our kids together and grow so old that we became like twisted versions of the Golden Girls. But since we can't, I'm going to give you some last best friend words of wisdom, so that your life will be as perfect as it can be._

_Like I said, I know that my death is probably killing you, but it's probably doing even more damage to Lucas. After losing Keith, I don't know how he's going to take losing someone else that he loves. But I don't want him to think that, just because I'm gone, he's lost his chance at love. Lucas and I have always been soul mates. His soul has belonged to me since the time he saw me standing by the Comet, and if I hadn't had to go, we would have had an amazing, love-filled life together. But I did have to go, and I'm afraid that I may have taken part of his soul with me. But I know that I left his heart behind, because no matter how much he loved me and I loved him, I never had his heart. His heart has always belonged to you, Brooke Davis. I've always known that, even if the two of you don't want to realize it. You make each other smile, you make each other laugh, and you love each other. I know you do. And I want to let you know that it's okay. _

_When I'm gone, I want you and Lucas to be there for each other. And when you realize that you're in love and that you want to be together forever, because you will, I don't want you to worry about me. I will be at peace knowing that two of the people I love most in this world are happy together. And I will also be at peace knowing that, despite my absence, my beautiful baby Sawyer will grow up with one of the best mothers that has ever lived. My life had so much sadness in it-I want something wonderful to grow from my death. I want Lucas to be a father to Sam and Chelsea, I want you to be a mother to Sawyer, and I want you and Lucas to love each other and be together for the next eighty years. So you put this letter down right now, and go get the man you love. Nothing could make me happier now. And after you've lived to be well over a hundred and it's your time to leave, I'll be waiting for you, and you can tell me all about the perfect life you lived on earth._

_I love you B. Davis,_

_P. Sawyer_

The signature at the bottom was blurred from Brooke's tears, but she could still read Peyton's last farewell clear as day. Brooke slid off the bed onto the floor, clutching the letter to her heart as she sobbed. She was overwhelmed with love for the best friend she had ever known, with grief for the best friend she had lost, and with happiness for the final gift her best friend had given her.

Reaching up to her nightstand, Brooke picked up the photo and stared at it once more. "I love you too, P. Sawyer," she whispered, giving the image of Peyton's face a gentle kiss. "Thank you." Placing the photo and the letter back on the nightstand, she got to her feet and headed to the bathroom. After washing the tears from her face, she hurried back out to her car. She didn't know what would happen when she saw Lucas, but she didn't want to wait to find out. Besides, Peyton had told her to go get the man she loved, and Brooke was convinced that if she disobeyed, Peyton truly would come back and kick her ass.

As Brooke navigated the streets of Tree Hill, her heart began to speed up with trepidation. Even if Lucas did still want her, how would they explain it to everyone else? How would her girls react? How would Karen react, or Haley? Even if Peyton didn't think Brooke was trying to replace her, there were plenty of other people who might. Brooke was breathing heavily as she pulled up to the house, where a lone figure was sitting on the front steps. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized that the person sitting on the steps was Lucas. Tears coming to her eyes once again, she stopped the car and got out.

Lucas had been staring at the ground, his hands folded in front of him, but he looked up as he heard the car door slam. He watched as Brooke slowly approached him, his own heart pounding as he saw the look on her face.

"You finally read your note, didn't you?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," Brooke responded breathily. She tried to look him in the eye, but she found herself glancing off to the side, knowing that when they made eye contact there would be no turning back.

Lucas rose to his feet, taking a step towards Brooke, but still maintaining some distance so she didn't freak out.

"After you left the other night," he began nervously, "I was really confused. I knew I was feeling something for you, but I just…I couldn't understand it. I love Peyton so much, and…I didn't know what to do. I was lying awake that night, missing her and wishing that I could talk to her. I wanted to let her know that I still loved her, even though I was feeling something for you. And then I remembered the letter, and I thought, 'well, even if I can't talk to her, she can still talk to me'. And I opened it, and I read it, and…"

Lucas paused, swallowing as his eyes got a little misty. "I will always love Peyton, Brooke," he said softly, taking another cautious step towards the brunette. "And I know you'll be okay with that, because you love her too. But she's right. Neither of us has lost our chance at love. Not as long as we have each other. Peyton will always be in my heart, but I still have plenty of room for you. I don't know where we go from here, but I do know that I want to be with you, Brooke Davis. So I have to know…what do you want?"

Brooke's lip had been trembling the entire time he had spoken, but as soon as he was finished, she turned her head and finally brought her eyes to meet his. She gazed deep into his bright blue eyes, and drew a shaky breath.

"I want to be the girl behind the red door," she whispered. "I've always wanted to be that girl."

"Good," Lucas replied, closing the gap between them and taking her hands in his. "Because I love that girl."

Neither Brooke nor Lucas hesitated as their eyes closed and their lips finally met. For both of them, it was a sweet, romantic kiss, but it was also somewhat freeing. Some of the grief that had been pressing on their hearts since Peyton's death lifted, and Brooke would swear later that the sun outside started to shine a little brighter as they kissed. It was like Peyton was up in heaven, lifting the shroud of darkness that had been covering them, and allowing them to be happy and in love for the first time in a long time.

"Uncle Lucas, we…" Sam called, bursting through the front door. "Whoa," she gasped, taking a step back as Brooke and Lucas reluctantly broke away from each other. "Um…okay," she stuttered, her eyes darting back and forth between the two in confusion.

Brooke looked at her eldest daughter, her face a mixture of sympathy and sheepishness. "Honey, I think we're going to need to talk later," she said gently.

"No kidding," Sam said incredulously, her eyes about to pop out of their sockets. "Um…dinner's ready," she added awkwardly.

"Thanks kiddo," Lucas said, giving her a warm smile. Sam tried to smile back, but she was clearly bewildered, and she tripped over her own feet as she hurried back into the house.

"Well, that went well," Brooke said sarcastically. "And unfortunately, that might be the best reaction we can expect."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Lucas assured her. "That's our family in there, Brooke. They want us to be happy. I'm sure they'll understand. Heck, they might even be thrilled."

"I'm never that lucky," Brooke said nervously.

"Well, fortunately for you, I am an incredibly lucky guy," Lucas said, offering her his arm. "Shall we?" he asked gallantly, gesturing towards the door.

Brooke smiled and took his arm. "Absolutely," she replied. Lucas returned her smile, and after they encouragingly squeezed each other's hands, they headed through the front door to face their family.

**I've got to stop writing such emotional chapters…that stupid letter had me all misty! By the way, to clarify for one reviewer, I did not choose the title of this fic since it is adopted, and I will not change it out of respect for the original author. However, the title "A Mother's Duties" is supposed to be related to Brooke's duties as a mother, not the duties of every mother in the fic. Just so no one's freaking out; all of the adults are going to be perfectly fine with Brooke and Lucas being together. However, Chelsea and Sam might have a little trepidation. Why? You'll find out in the next chapter, when we discover some of Chelsea and Sam's pasts. For those who have asked, there probably won't be a punishment in the next chapter, but there will definitely be some discussion on the topic. Please review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hi everyone! Well, I did lose power last night, but fortunately my laptop was charged enough that I was able to crank out this chapter! Just a warning before you guys read: there is some talk of physical (not sexual) abuse in this chapter, so if that's going to make you uncomfortable, you might want to skip over it. Other than that, I hope you enjoy!**

Two weeks had passed since Thanksgiving, and Brooke and Lucas hadn't felt so at peace since Peyton had died. Despite the couple's trepidation, the entirety of their family had been perfectly fine with the idea of the two of them seeing each other. Some of them, in fact, were downright thrilled. Nathan had broken out into a ridiculously cheesy grin when he saw the two of them holding hands, and at the end of the evening, Karen's eyes had grown misty as she embraced Brooke and brushed a gentle hand against her cheek.

Sam and Chelsea, it appeared, were also accepting of their mom's new relationship. The day after Thanksgiving, Brooke had sat down with both of her daughters and tried her best to explain what was happening. Brooke was worried that the girls were going to be confused or angry, since Lucas had been with Peyton since either of them could remember, and Brooke hadn't dated anyone since they came to live with her. But Sam was genuinely happy for her mom once she got over the initial awkwardness of seeing her and her uncle make out, and Chelsea was thrilled when Brooke said that Lucas would probably be spending even more time with them.

Chelsea's excitement was well-founded, as Lucas had spent all but three evenings since Thanksgiving over at the Davis residence. Of the three evenings he missed, two were spent at away basketball games. The other was spent on a romantic night out with Brooke while Sam, Chelsea, and Sawyer had a sleepover at Karen's. This Friday night, an away basketball game had been cancelled due to icy roads, so Lucas was bringing Chinese food over to Brooke's so they could all have dinner together.

"Hey!" Brooke said brightly as she opened the door for Lucas. "Get in here, it's freezing!" she exclaimed, relieving Lucas of the large paper bag of food he carried. "Are you wrapped up all snug in there?" she cooed at Sawyer.

"I should hope so," Lucas chuckled. "Mom went out and bought her a snowsuit, and Haley has spent the past week knitting her new booties and sweaters. All she needs is a dog sled team and she could go on an expedition to Antarctica."

"She would make such a cute little Eskimo," Brooke gushed, lifting the baby out of her carrier once Lucas had set it down. "Hello, Princess," she said softly, cradling the baby in her arms. Sawyer scrunched up her nose and gave a short little whine.

"That's her 'I'm hungry' cry," Lucas said, helping Brooke unzip the little girl's snowsuit. "You and the girls go ahead and start eating. I'll get some food once Sawyer's done with her bottle."

"Don't be ridiculous," Brooke waved him off. "The girls had a big snack when they got home from school, and I had a late lunch. We can wait for you. If the food gets cold, that's what the microwave if for. The microwave is also for warming up your daughter's bottle, which I suggest you do pronto before she throws a fit," she added, removing a bottle from Sawyer's diaper bag and handing it to Lucas with a smirk.

"Yes, ma'am," Lucas said, raising his eyebrow playfully. "Whatever you say."

Brooke teasingly smacked his shoulder as he headed for the kitchen. She then sauntered over to the living room couch, where Sam was curled up with her cellphone as she texted Mitchell.

"I swear, Samantha, ever since you started dating Mitchell, this cellphone has become like an extra limb," Brooke said exasperatedly, standing over her daughter. "I'm thinking about getting it surgically removed."

"Very funn…hey!" Sam protested as Brooke snatched the phone out of her hand.

"No more texting until after dinner, young lady," Brooke said with finality, shutting the phone off. "Argue with me and you're not getting it back all weekend. Now go help your sister wash up for dinner. Be back down here in twenty minutes."

"Yes ma'am," Sam grumbled, dodging the swat the Brooke aimed at her rear end. She trudged upstairs and knocked on Chelsea's door, poking her head in before her little sister could answer.

"Hey Midget, Mom says it's time for dinner," she said. She came all the way into the room when she saw that Chelsea wasn't on the floor playing as usual, but was curled up on her bed hugging her stuffed purple monkey. "Hey, what's up?" Sam asked concernedly, scooting onto the bed next to her little sister.

"Nothing," Chelsea mumbled, tightening her grip on her monkey.

"Yeah, I'm not buying that," Sam said sarcastically. "Come on, what's the matter? Uncle Lucas and Sawyer just came over. You're usually happy about that."

Chelsea's frown deepened at the mention of Lucas's name, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Sam. "Chels, are you upset because Uncle Lucas is here?" Sam asked curiously.

Chelsea bit her lip as she looked down at her bedspread. "Sissy…is Uncle Lucas gonna be our Daddy?" she blurted out.

Sam blinked, slightly taken aback by the little girl's question. "Um…I don't know," she said honestly. "I mean…I guess he _could _be, one day. But he's only been dating Mom for a couple of weeks, so I don't think you have to worry about them getting married for a while. Why do you ask? Do you not want him to be our Daddy?"

"No," Chelsea whispered, hugging her monkey so tightly that its plush head looked like it was going to pop off.

"Why not?" Sam asked, putting an arm around the small girl. "You love Uncle Lucas. As far as dads go, he'd be a pretty good one to have, wouldn't he?"

Chelsea shook her head vigorously. "All daddies are bad, Sissy," she said in a hushed voice. "I don't want Uncle Lucas to be our Daddy, cause then he'll be bad, too."

A feeling of anxiety that Sam hadn't felt in over a year tightened around her heart at her sister's words. Chelsea didn't need to do any further explaining to make Sam understand what she was feeling. As many times as they had explained their pasts to Brooke, she could never truly understand all of the things they went through before they came to live with her. It was true that Brooke had suffered from neglect as a child, and she understood that part of the girls' pain. But the other things…those were bonds that only Chelsea and Sam shared.

Sam wrapped both of her arms around her baby sister and pulled her onto her lap. "Chels," she breathed sympathetically, hugging the little girl tight. "That's not…Uncle Lucas isn't like that," she tried to explain. "And even if he was, Mama would never let him hurt us. Not like before."

"Mama can't do anything," Chelsea insisted, tears starting to creep out of her eyes. "All of the old Mommies in the bad places couldn't do anything about the old Daddies. Daddies are bad, Sissy! They have belts, and they get mean and scary. I don't want a Daddy!"

"But Chelsea, not all Daddies are like that," Sam tried to assure her. "Uncle Nathan is never mean to Jamie, and Uncle Andy never even punishes Lily. And Uncle Lucas loves Sawyer, and he loves us too."

"It don't matter," Chelsea whimpered. "Daddies never love me. And if Uncle Lucas becomes our Daddy, he won't love me no more, either."

Sam didn't say anything, just pressed Chelsea's head against her shoulder and allowed a few of her own tears to fall. Though she knew in her heart that Lucas would never do anything to hurt either of the girls, she understood Chelsea's anxiety. Since she was born, Sam had been in no less than a dozen foster homes and two state facilities before Brooke finally rescued her, but Chelsea had experienced even worse. The little girl's mother had died when she was two, and her father became a mean drunk who regularly beat the child. She was finally taken away from him at the age of three, after the man had broken her arm. Chelsea was in three foster homes, each more abusive than the last, before Brooke had heard about her via Social Services and claimed the child as her own. Sam knew that Chelsea's fears, although unlikely to come true, were not unfounded, and she also knew that she couldn't help her little sister on her own.

"Chelsea," she said softly, looking down at the little girl's tear streaked face. "We need to talk to Mama and Uncle Lucas. You need to tell them what you're feeling."

"I can't!" Chelsea cried. "They'll be mad at me, and then Uncle Lucas might get mean even quicker!"

"Chels, they're not going to be mad," Sam promised her. "They love you, and they love me. And you know we can talk to Mama about anything. I promise you, as your big sister, that you will feel better after you talk to them. Can you trust me?"

Chelsea looked into Sam's caring brown eyes. When she had first moved in with Brooke, she had bonded with Sam even before bonding with her new mother. She felt a kinship with her that, even now, her six year old heart could not understand, but she did understand that she trusted her Sissy with her life.

"Yeah," she sniffled, wrapping her arms tightly around Sam's neck.

"Good," Sam said, standing up with Chelsea in her arms. She kissed Chelsea gently on top of the head as she carried her towards the stairs and down to the living room.

"Mom?" Sam called as she reached the living room. "We need to talk."

Brooke and Lucas both rose to their feet, concerned looks appearing on their faces at the sight of Sam's slightly red eyes and Chelsea's refusal to look at them. "Do you need some privacy, Sam?" Lucas asked, taking a step towards the guest room door with Sawyer in his arms.

"No, actually, we need to talk to both of you," Sam said seriously, sitting down on the couch. Brooke sat down next to her, worried that she couldn't see her youngest's face. Lucas sat down on Sam's other side, and both adults leaned in expectantly.

"What is it, Sweetheart?" Brooke asked, her eyebrows drawn with concern.

Sam drew a deep breath. "It's about you guys and your new…relationship," she began awkwardly.

"Okay," Lucas said encouragingly after she had paused. "Go on."

"This is really hard to talk about," Sam said, taking another breath. "Okay…Uncle Lucas, I don't know how much Mom has told you about us. Like, about where we lived before we lived with her and stuff."

"Not much at all," Brooke said immediately. "You and Chelsea are the only ones who get to decide who knows about your pasts. It's not my place to talk about it."

"Okay," Sam said, rubbing Chelsea's back. "The thing is…we had it pretty bad for a while. Both of us. Mostly it was people not really caring about us, and Mom's fixed that. But…there was some other stuff."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Lucas assured her.

"No, it's important," Sam said, swallowing a lump in her throat. "You see…we both got beat a lot. Not like, spanked, like Mom does, but beaten. With belts, mostly. Sometimes with random crap that was lying around the house."

"Baby, what's going on?" Brooke asked worriedly, touching Sam's shoulder. "Why are you talking about all of this?"

"The people that beat us…they were all men," Sam said reluctantly. "They were our foster dads, plus Chelsea's real dad. And, um…now that you two are dating…well, Chelsea kind of put two and two together, and she realized that…you know, one day…you could be our Dad," she finished quietly, looking at Lucas with an almost guilty expression.

Brooke and Lucas stared at her, both of them absolutely speechless. "Sam," Brooke finally gasped, "Do you think that Lucas would _ever_…?"

"No, I don't!" Sam said quickly. "I mean, I certainly don't think you would ever do anything like that!" she assured them, her eyes pleading with Lucas to understand what she was saying. "It's just…Chelsea's having a hard time imagining a Dad who is nice and doesn't beat her. And frankly…I understand why."

"I see," Brooke said, taking a deep breath herself as she looked at her boyfriend. "Chelsea, Honey, can you come sit with Mama?" she asked softly.

"Go on," Sam whispered in her little sister's ear. "It's okay." Chelsea raised her head from Sam's shoulder and looked at her mother. When she saw that Brooke wasn't angry, she held her arms out, and Brooke scooped her up instantly.

"Oh Baby Girl," Brooke soothed, rocking Chelsea as the little girl sniffled against her chest. "I wish you'd told Mama you were feeling scared. I'm not angry, Sweetheart." Lucas got up quietly to place a full and sleepy Sawyer back in her carrier as Brooke comforted her youngest. Once the baby was settled, he sat back down and placed a comforting arm around Sam's shoulder.

"Chelsea, can you listen to Mama for a minute?" Brooke asked, prompting the child to sit up. "Baby, I'm not getting married anytime soon," she began. "But if I do get married, the man I marry will never be allowed to hurt you in anyway. You and your sister come first in my heart, before any man. I promised you when you came to live with me that you would never be hurt again, and I meant it. Do you believe me?"

"Uh huh," Chelsea nodded, reaching up a little fist to scrub her eyes.

"That's my girl," Brooke said with a smile. "Sweetheart, there may come a day when Uncle Lucas and I decide to get married…we haven't talked about that yet. But if we do, Uncle Lucas is still going to be the same person he is right now. He's still going to love you just as much, if not more. And he would never do anything to hurt you. Isn't that right, Lucas?"

"Of course that's right," Lucas said softly, scooting in and reaching a tentative hand out to gently stroke Chelsea's hair. "I love you so much, Chelsea Lynn. I will never do anything to hurt you. And if your Mama decides to give me the privilege of being your Daddy, I will be the best Daddy in the world. I'll even be a better Daddy than Uncle Nathan. What do you think about that?"

"Good," Chelsea whispered, giving him a small smile.

"Okay then," Brooke said, giving her little girl a big kiss. "Why don't you go and wash your face, and then we'll get some dinner in that tummy of yours," she added, tickling Chelsea's tummy and causing her to giggle. Chelsea climbed down from Brooke's lap and, with another small smile to the rest of the family, trotted off to wash her face in the downstairs bathroom.

Once she was gone, Brooke turned to Sam and put an arm around her. "Do you know how proud I am of you?" she asked sincerely. "A year ago, you never would have come to me with a problem like this. You would have kept it all bottled up inside. Tonight, you took extraordinarily good care of your sister, and you faced your problems like an adult. I am so, so proud of you, Sweetheart."

"Thanks," Sam said, blushing at Brooke's praise. "Don't get too happy, though. Chelsea's still probably going to be a little nervous about this whole thing. And to be honest, I probably will be, too," she admitted.

"Kiddo, we understand," Lucas assured her, squeezing her shoulder. "I know you girls have had some rough times, and I want to do everything I can to make your life as happy and easy as it can be. If your Mom and I do decide to get married, we will wait until you're comfortable. And we will do everything we can to make you feel safe. I could even leave all the discipline up to your Mom if you girls decide that's what you want. I would never hurt you, but I don't want you to be scared."

"I know you wouldn't hurt us," Sam said. "And you can discipline me whenever you want…except when dealing with my love life, you're much more of a softie than Mom is."

"Hey!" Brooke protested, picking up a couch pillow and bopping Sam on the head with it.

"She does have a point," Lucas said in mock seriousness. "I've always been the cool one." Sam nodded in agreement, hiding her own smile.

"Okay, that's it," Brooke said, jumping to her feet. She grabbed another pillow and started smacking both of them at the same time. Sam shrieked, and Lucas lifted the teen in his arms and ran away, laughing as Brooke chased them through the living room. Brooke finally gave up when Chelsea came out of the bathroom, and she threw the pillows at the pair in jest as she went to heat up the Chinese.

"See?" Lucas whispered, setting Sam on her feet. "I'll never let anyone hurt you." Sam gave him a hug, and they went to the kitchen island to await their sesame chicken.

**Poor little Chelsea…even with Brooke as a Mom, she's got a lot of stuff to work through. Coming up next: Christmas! It will probably be a happy-go-lucky chapter with minimal scoldings/punishments, but only because we're going to need one more chapter of lightness before I delve into my next big plot point. After the holidays, Sam is going to find that having Lucas as a Dad may not be something she wants, and Lucas is going to find that he has some things to learn about being a Dad. Please review!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi everyone! I seriously cannot believe it's been nine days since I updated…epic fail on my part. But I've been balancing law school with making road trips to see my grandmother, and it's been hard. This was also a hard chapter to write because there isn't much plot, but it's done now and hopefully the next one will be better. Just a disclaimer based on an anonymous review I got: the fact that I write spanking stories does not mean I in any way condone spanking in real life. The majority of people who write spanking fic actually don't. I'm in no way trying to encourage spanking as a practice, although I don't know why it should matter since anyone who is getting parenting tips from fanfiction is clearly beyond any aid whatsoever. If you guys want to discuss the actual psychological and social effects of spankings, there are thousands of forums in which you can do that. My review page is not one of them. If you don't like it, then don't read it. Okay, now that's over with, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Read and review, please!**

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the Hargrove house, not a creature was stirring…save one blond haired young man who was tiptoeing down the hallway around 2:00 am, looking for all the world like a teenager sneaking in after curfew or a toddler skulking downstairs to see what Santa had left. But Lucas Scott wasn't interested in seeing what Santa had brought, and he was fairly certain that his mother wouldn't scold him for being up at this hour; though she might scold him if she knew where he was going. Lucas crept stealthily up to the fourth doorway on the left in Karen and Andy's massive upstairs corridor. He didn't bother to knock; instead, he slowly twisted the handle so it didn't squeak and slunk into the dark room.

"Brooke," he whispered, closing the door behind him and creeping over to the luxurious king sized bed. "Wake up."

Brooke rolled over and stared blurrily at her boyfriend. "What's going on?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Merry Christmas, Pretty Girl," he said softly, slipping into the bed and giving her a warm kiss.

"Mm…Merry Christmas to you, too," she said seductively, pulling him closer towards her. She smiled at him in a lazy way as she ran her hand through his hair. "Where's Sawyer?"

"Asleep in her crib," Lucas said unconcernedly.

Brooke raised her eyebrow. "You're letting her sleep more than twenty feet away from you?" she asked. "I'm impressed, Mr. Overprotective."

"Shut up," he said teasingly, kissing her on the neck. "I've been getting better. Besides, Mom is in the next room, and she can manage if Sawyer starts to cry."

All of a sudden, Brooke's eyes grew wide and she leapt away so fast that she almost knocked Lucas off the bed.

"Lucas Scott!" she hissed, pulling the covers up tightly around her. "We're in your mother's house!"

Lucas burst out laughing at the panicked look on Brooke's face. "Yeah, I know," he said. "Since when has that ever stopped us?"

"I can think of a couple times, including one exceedingly painful incident during junior year that I would prefer not to revisit!" Brooke whispered nervously, her eyes darting towards the closed door.

"Brooke," Lucas said exasperatedly, rolling his eyes. "We're both adults now. Do you honestly think my mom is going to come in here and spank us for sleeping together in her house?"

"I wouldn't put it past her! She never reneged on that rule, you know. Don't you remember? She told us that if it ever happened again she would spank us every night during the month we were grounded!"

"I'd forgotten how delusional you get when someone wakes you up in the middle of the night," Lucas said, shaking his head. "Brooke, nothing is going to happen. My mom told us that when we were sixteen years old, and I'm willing to bet she's over it by now. But, if it makes you feel any better, I'll go back to my room and leave you here. In this gigantic bed. All alone…and cold…and…"

"Ugh, fine! You win," Brooke grumbled, hitting him with a pillow as he rubbed his hand over her hip. "But if we get busted for this, I'm telling Karen it was your idea."

"That's fine with me," Lucas smiled, propping himself up and leaning in towards her. "I've been grounded before because of you, and every time it was totally worth it."

"Oh yeah?" Brooke replied, smiling at him suggestively. "Well, if you're going to get in trouble this time, we'd better make it worth your while," she said, pulling him in for a deep passionate kiss.

Five hours later, Lily awoke with a start and looked out her bedroom window. She squealed when she saw the lightest of snow flurries whirling around outside, and she shoved Chelsea, who was curled up in bed next to her.

"Chelsea, wake up!" she cried happily. "It's Christmas! And it's snowin'!"

Chelsea rubbed her eyes as she sat up in bed. She stared out the window in wonder. "Wow," she breathed. "It's so pretty. Do you think that means that this'll be a good Christmas?"

"Of course it'll be a good Christmas," Lily scoffed. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Chelsea shrugged uncomfortably. "Christmas hasn't never been good before," she said softly. "Santa's never come to bring me nothing."

Lily hugged her friend in the unabashed way that only a six year old can manage. "I'll bet he brought you something this year," she said confidently. "Anyways, I know you've got one present cause Mama and I picked it out."

"Really?" Chelsea asked shyly.

"Yeah!" Lily said enthusiastically. "Come on! Let's go wake everybody up and you can open it! Come on, Jamie!" she added, jumping down on the floor and kicking her cousin awake. Jamie, who had been sleeping soundly on an air mattress, groaned as the energetic girls stampeded out of the room.

"Everybody, wake up!" Lily yelled, running down the hallway and banging on random doors. "It's Christmas!"

"Lily Roe Scott, keep your voice down," Karen chided as she exited the bedroom, tying her bathrobe around her waist. Her voice was firm, but her face bore a smile as she leaned down and hugged her daughter close. "Merry Christmas, Sweetheart."

"Merry Christmas, Mama!" Lily replied, apparently unfazed by her mother's scolding. "It's snowin' outside!"

"Snowing?" Karen said, indulging her daughter by looking shocked. "Well, I guess we'll all have to go play in it after we open presents. Unless, of course, you want to open presents later…"

"NO!" Lily and Chelsea yelled together.

Karen laughed and pulled Chelsea to her side with one arm. "Well, if you insist," she said teasingly. "Jamie, why don't you go wake your mom and dad up?" she suggested to the little boy who was stumbling down the hallway in his dinosaur pajamas. "Lily, you go get Daddy…I tried to wake him up, but you know how grouchy he can be."

"Yeah," Lily said knowingly, before storming into the master bedroom shrieking "DADDY!"

Karen shook her head and reached down to pick up Chelsea. "And you, little miss, can come with me to wake up your mama. She can be even grouchier than Uncle Andy, so I'm going to need your help."

Chelsea giggled as Karen carried her down the hallway and opened the door. "Brooke, wake…Lucas?" Karen stopped dead in her tracks when she realized the Brooke was not alone in her bed.

Chelsea frowned as Brooke and Lucas both bolted straight up in bed with panicked looks on their faces. "Uncle Lucas, I think you're lost," she said seriously.

"I think you're right," Karen said, raising an eyebrow as she set Chelsea down on the floor. "Why don't you go wake up your sister, Chelsea? I'm going to find out how Uncle Lucas got lost," she added, a mild hint of a threat underlying her voice.

Once Chelsea was out of earshot, Lucas flashed his mother a sheepish, charming grin. "Merry Christmas, Mom," he said hopefully.

"You too," Karen said, her voice deceptively calm as she took a few steps into the room. "I see you two began celebrating a little earlier than the rest of us."

Brooke's face turned beet red, and Lucas's wide grin fell apart. "Mom, come on. Brooke and I are adults now," he protested.

"Yes, you are," Karen agreed. "Two adults who should know better than to sleep together with young children in the house. Now Brooke, I'm not trying to tell you how to raise Sam and Chelsea, but I don't want Lily asking me questions about why you two are sleeping together when you're not married. So whenever you're over here, let's try to keep these incidents to a minimum, shall we?"

"Of course," Brooke said quickly, getting out of bed and smoothing out her pajamas hurriedly. "Um…sorry," she added lamely.

Before Lucas could add on his apology, Sam's face appeared over Karen's shoulder. "Somebody's busted," she said in a sing-song voice.

Brooke glowered at her from across the room. "Those presents under the tree? Those can be returned," she threatened.

"Lighten up, Mama Scrooge," Sam said with a chuckle.

"Hey, can we break up this little love fest?" Haley called, coming down the hallway with both Jamie and Chelsea tugging at her arms. "We've got some anxious kids here."

"I'll go get Sawyer," Brooke told Lucas, anxious to get away from Karen's motherly gaze. She ducked her head as she exited the room. Lucas gave his mom a devil-may-care grin as he walked out the door, and Karen responded by giving him a swat on the butt.

"Ma!" Lucas cried indignantly, when everyone in the hallway started laughing.

"Consider that a Christmas gift-the knowledge that you have a mother who will always be there to love you, protect you, and kick you in the ass when you need it," Karen smiled, giving her son a kiss on the cheek.

Lucas and Brooke got over their embarrassment soon enough as they got caught up in the hubbub of exchanging gifts. Jamie almost knocked over the Christmas tree bouncing the new leather basketball Lucas had given him, and Lily nearly drove everyone bonkers while she clicked around in her new tap shoes. Chelsea was far less excited than her six-year-old counterparts, but it was her reactions that brought the most joy to the adults in the room. She sat on Brooke's lap in contented awe as she opened gift after gift, including a stocking that had been well-stuffed by Santa. Lily and Karen had bought her a fancy art set, while Nathan and Haley had gotten her a box of dress-up clothes. She had received countless toys and outfits from her mother, but Brooke knew that she didn't have to worry about spoiling the little girl. Chelsea had never received Christmas gifts growing up, and her little face shone with gratitude after opening each one.

"Sam, come here," Lucas said, patting an empty space on the couch next to him. He pulled out a small white box and opened it as the teenager sat down.

"This belonged to your Aunt Peyton," he said, removing a black leather wrist cuff and placing it gently on Sam's wrist. "It was one of the few pieces of jewelry she saved from high school. I know she would have wanted you to have it."

"Wow," Sam breathed, holding up her wrist to examine the cuff. It was pretty simple, and had probably cost less than five dollars. But it was a piece of Peyton that Lucas trusted her with, and that was the only gift Sam needed. "Thanks Uncle Lucas," she said sincerely, throwing her arms around him.

"You're welcome, kiddo," he said tenderly, returning the embrace. "Go on and open some more presents. I've got one more gift to give."

Lucas scooted over on the couch towards Brooke and Chelsea. "Chelsea Bear, do you mind if I borrow your Mama for a minute?" he asked.

"Okay," Chelsea said agreeably. She slid off of Brooke's lap and wandered over to Nathan to show him her new art kit.

"You need to borrow me? What, you didn't get enough of me last night?" Brooke said in a low voice, smiling coyly.

"I could never get enough of you," Lucas said with a smile. "But I actually just needed to borrow you to give you this." He reached out behind him and pulled out a long jewelry box. He opened it with a flourish, revealing a beautiful sapphire bracelet.

"Lucas," Brooke gasped. "It's gorgeous!"

"Not as gorgeous as you," Lucas said softly, slipping the bracelet over her wrist and clasping it. "Merry Christmas, Pretty Girl."

"Merry Christmas, Broody," Brooke said lovingly, leaning in for a tender kiss. They had only locked lips for a second when Haley, tuning a new guitar that Nathan had bought her, began to strum and sing "Deck the Halls". One by one, every member of the family joined in. Chelsea hurried back over to her place on Brooke's lap, and Sam slid comfortably in between Brooke and Lucas on the couch. Brooke smiled, thinking that as wonderful as it was to be sitting next to Lucas, it was even better to be sitting with her girls on Christmas morning.

**It would have been so romantic for Lucas to propose on Christmas, but it is WAY too soon for that! I know this wasn't as long as usual, and I apologize for that. This chapter was really just filler until I get to the good stuff next time. Btw, I hope no one thinks I'm prudish for having Karen lecture Brooke and Lucas. I myself could care less if they sleep together before they're married, but I thought it would make for good humor. Coming up next: Sam is headed to the Sparkle Classic, with Lucas, Nathan and Haley along as chaperones. Things might get ugly…review please!**


	19. Chapter 19

**I know, I know…it's been over five weeks. Long story short: I've been trying to do too much with law school, and my grandmother recently passed away, and I'm having a hard time dealing with my grief. However, I'm getting better at managing my time with schoolwork and limiting my extracurricular activities, so hopefully it will not take me this long to update again. And, one of the best ways to deal with grief is to stay happy, and your reviews make me happy! To those of you who have reviewed, sent me messages, added my story to your favorites, etc., thank you. Your encouragement means the world, and it makes me excited to update my stories. I hope you guys enjoy this one-I know it's been a long time coming!**

"Alright guys, listen up!" Lucas barked, addressing the thirty teenagers clustered in front of him. "Mrs. James-Scott is going to hand out your room assignments. After 10:00 tonight, you will all be in those assigned rooms. Not in each other rooms, not in the hotel pool, and for damn sure not in some sleazy bar. All of you need to be well-rested for the game and competition, and your chaperones will be performing room checks. Everybody clear?"

"Yeah," grumbled the irritated teenagers. Nathan and Haley shared a mischievous glance with each other. They knew that, as coaches and teachers, they had to be responsible adults. Still, it hadn't been that long ago that they had been the teenagers plotting to sneak out after bed checks, and they felt pretty confident that more than one of their charges would be attempting a breakout after curfew.

"Good," Lucas said, his eyes scanning the crowd before resting on Sam and Mitchell, who were holding hands and whispering to each other. "Alright, after you guys get settled in, you're free to go grab some food and hang out. Do not make us come track you down at 10:00." With that, he stepped aside and allowed Haley to step forward, clipboard and room keys in hand.

"Okay, here we go! Angela and Natalie, Room 219. Madison and Rachel, Room 221. Sam and Lucy, Room 223."

Sam started to pick up her suitcase after grabbing her room key, but she stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Aunt Haley and Uncle Nathan and I are going to head to dinner in about an hour," Lucas said quietly. "Do you want to come with us? We'll let you choose, anywhere you want."

Sam bit her lip and snuck a sideways glance over at Mitchell. "Well…Mitchell and I were thinking about going to dinner…just the two of us," she said awkwardly. "You know, it's our three month anniversary tomorrow, and we wanted to do something nice. It's not that I don't want to go with you guys, it's just…you know."

"Fair enough," Lucas said reluctantly. "Do you need any money?"

"Nah, Mom gave me some before I left," Sam said, relieved that Lucas hadn't forced the issue.

"Okay," Lucas said, squeezing her shoulder gently. "You have fun, but be back by curfew. I'll be checking personally."

Sam rolled her eyes. "I figured," she said ruefully. "You know, you're getting to be worse than Mom."

"Watch it," Lucas said, raising his eyebrow at her. Sam could see a twinkle in his eyes, however, and she just gave him a grin and a quick hug.

"I'll see you later," she said, hefting up her suitcase and heading toward the elevator.

"No later than 10:00," Lucas called after her.

"Luke, you gotta lighten up, man," Nathan said, coming up and nudging his brother on the shoulder. "Has any kid in the history of Tree Hill High ever not broken curfew at this tournament?"

"True," Lucas admitted grudgingly. "But none of them has ever been _my _kid."

"Your kid, huh?" Haley questioned, joining the pair and linking her arm through Nathan's. "Is there something you and Brooke need to tell us?"

Lucas gave his oldest friend a soft smile. "Not yet," he assured her. "But you know I've always had a soft spot for Sam, way before Brooke and I became a couple. It just feels natural to call her my own."

"Well, whether she's your kid or not, Sam is a good kid," Haley replied. "I'm sure she will do her best to be in by curfew. She doesn't exactly hang out with the wild side of the squad."

"Come on, man," Nathan said, clapping his brother on the back. "Let's go get cleaned up and head for dinner. There's a great barbeque place about a mile down the road." Lucas returned the pat on the back and the three adults headed to the elevator.

Meanwhile, up in room 223, Lucy was helping a flustered Sam get ready for her date with Mitchell.

"Ugh!" Sam growled angrily, slamming the lid of her suitcase closed. "I don't have anything to wear!"

"Sam, you brought a suitcase big enough to hold the entire contents of the Tree Hill Mall," Lucy said, rolling her eyes good naturedly. "You have to have something in there that will do. And besides, since when do you care so much about fashion?"

"Since I met the most perfect guy in the world," Sam groaned, flopping face first on her bed in frustration. "It's our anniversary…I really want to look nice."

"Mitchell will think you look gorgeous no matter what you wear," Lucy said, hopping up from her bed and approached Sam's suitcase. She rifled through it for a moment and quickly unearthed a blue wrap dress. "Sam, quit freaking out and put this on," she ordered, smacking her best friend on the rear for emphasis.

"Ow!" Sam whined, rolling over onto her side. "What if he thinks it makes me look fat?"

"Oh for the love of…" Lucy cut herself off, shaking her head. "Sam, first of all, you're skinny as a twig, and nothing could make you look fat. Second of all, Mitchell wouldn't care if you showed up wearing a potato sack. He likes _you_, not your clothes."

"I know," Sam sighed, standing up and taking the dress from her friend. "I just…when I look at him, he takes my breath away. I want him to feel the same way about me."

"He does," Lucy said confidently. "Now go change, and I'll do something with your hair."

Thirty minutes later, Lucy opened their door to reveal Mitchell, who was wearing a light blue shirt and charcoal pants, and holding a single pink rose.

"Sam, I think it's for you," Lucy said slyly, stepping aside to reveal Sam, who was stunning in her blue dress with her hair meticulously pinned up by Lucy.

"Hey," she said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Hey yourself," Mitchell replied, matching her grin as he handed her the rose. "You look beautiful. Ready to go?"

"Absolutely," Sam said, taking his hand when he offered it. "See you, Luce," she said, not taking her eyes off of Mitchell as they headed out the door.

"See ya!" Lucy called, smiling to herself as the couple exited the room.

"Oh my gosh, I'm _stuffed_," Sam groaned a couple hours later, leaning against Mitchell as they walked down the street from the restaurant. "Why did you let me order that piece of cheesecake?"

"Because I was hoping you'd share…my mistake," Mitchell joked, laughing when she nudged him in the ribs. "Ow, careful. I'm not doing much better than you. That piece of lasagna they gave me was massive."

"I know you wanted to go swimming before curfew, but I'm not sure I'm up for it," Sam admitted. "I feel like I'm going to explode."

"Yeah, I really don't want to know what they'd charge us for barfing in the pool," Mitchell agreed, laughing again at Sam's grossed out expression. "Listen, my Dad gave me some extra cash for this weekend. Want to go up to my room and watch a movie on pay per view? We've got a couple of hours."

"Sounds like a plan," Sam said, linking her arm through his. "No popcorn though…they'd probably charge us for barfing on the bed, too."

When they got back to the hotel, Sam ran to her room to change into sweats and a t-shirt before joining Mitchell in his room. Mitchell had changed as well, and after a few minutes, the two agreed to watch _House of Wax_.

"Aw come on, this isn't even remotely scary," Mitchell teased Sam when she shivered about twenty minutes into the film.

"I know that, dork," Sam retorted, rolling her eyes. "Your room is freezing."

"Yeah, I know. Something's wrong with the heater," Mitchell said apologetically. "Here, get up." He followed Sam off of the bed and lifted up the covers. "This'll warm you up," he said, falling back onto the bed and pulling Sam with him.

"Perfect," Sam sighed, pulling the blankets up to her chin and snuggling into Mitchell's shoulder. "This is much better than swimming," she said, closing her eyes contentedly.

"Agreed," Mitchell said softly, giving her a sweet kiss on top of the head and closing his eyes as well. Before they got to experience the joy of watching Paris Hilton be murdered, the two teenagers were fast asleep.

At exactly 10:00 pm, Haley walked into the Lucas's half of the suite he was sharing with her and Nathan. The two men were going over the plays for tomorrow, arguing about the best defense to use on the team from Bear Creek.

"Alright, boys, that's going to have to wait until later," Haley said, coming up and closing the play book for them. "It's 10:00 and that means we have thirty teenagers to wrangle."

"We better not to have to wrangle them," Lucas said grimly, standing up and stretching.

"Aw, come on, Luke. Half of our fun is getting to ruin their fun," Nathan said with a grin. Lucas chuckled in agreement and followed his brother and sister in law out the door.

"Cutting it a little close, aren't you Lucy?" Haley asked, as Lucy hurried down the hall, a towel draped over her bikini and her hair soaking wet.

"Sorry, Mrs. James-Scott," she apologized. "A bunch of us were down at the pool, and we lost track of time."

"A bunch of you?"

"Yeah…they're kind of all still down there," Lucy admitted sheepishly. "They said they would wait for you guys to break it up. I didn't want to risk it."

"Smart girl," Nathan said, putting his arm around Haley. "Darling, would you care to go make some teenagers miserable?"

"Love to," Haley said with a smile. "Lucas, you check all the rooms and see who's accounted for. We'll do the tally downstairs."

"You got it," Lucas said as they headed down the hall. "Was Sam at the pool with you, Lucy?"

"No, Coach Scott," Lucy said, fumbling for her key in her pool bag. "She texted me and said she and Mitchell didn't feel like swimming tonight and they were going to watch a movie. I guess she's probably in the room by now," she added, producing her key and opening the door to her room.

One quick glance inside told Lucas that Lucy has guessed incorrectly. Lucy watched nervously as his eyes darkened at the sight of the empty room. "Um…I'm sure she's just in Mitchell's room," she said quickly. "The movie probably isn't over yet."

"It will be in a minute," Lucas said firmly. "Good night, Lucy," he said, walking down the hall towards Mitchell's room. He knocked sharply on the door, and when there was no answer, he shuffled through the pile of extra keys the manager had given him. He found the right one and jammed it into the slot. He opened the door and instantly dropped the remaining keys onto the floor. There, in the middle of the room, his little niece was curled up in the arms of a teenage boy, sound asleep. And from the looks of things, had been that way for quite a while. Later, Lucas would look back and realize that a rational person would have merely shaken them awake and asked for an explanation. But the thought of Sam being in bed with a boy and possibly doing…things…at her age caused any rationality Lucas had to fly out the window.

"What in the _hell _is going on here?" he boomed, causing the two teenagers to wake up in alarm. Sam looked confusedly at her furious uncle for a moment before realizing that she was in bed. With Mitchell. Under the blankets.

"Oh my God! Okay, this is so not what it looks like," she said hurriedly, jumping out of bed so fast that her leg got tangled in the blankets and she had to catch herself on the nightstand.

"Really? Because it looks like you were in bed with a guy!" Lucas shouted, advancing towards the two teenagers.

"Coach, that's not…"Mitchell tried to interject, sitting up but afraid to get out of bed with Lucas towering over him.

"You shut up!" Lucas growled, jabbing his finger towards Mitchell. "Consider yourself benched."

"Uncle Lucas!" Sam cried. "That's not fair! We just…"

"Don't you mouth off to me, young lady!" Lucas shouted, wrapping his hand around her arm and yanking her towards the door. "You're in enough trouble already."

"Coach…" Mitchell tried again, but he was cut off by the door slamming behind Lucas and Sam. Panicking, he slipped on his shoes and hurried out of the room, hoping to find Nathan or Haley. Maybe one of them would listen and help him and Sam out.

As Mitchell exited his room, Lucas dragged Sam into his, slamming the door shut behind him. "What in the hell were you thinking?" he yelled, glaring fiercely at his niece.

"I didn't do anything!" Sam protested, taking a few steps back into the room. "We were just sleeping! Honest!"

"Exactly!" Lucas ranted, following her determinedly. "You were sleeping! With a guy! Do you have any idea what could have happened?"

"It wasn't like that!" Sam insisted, tears starting to creep from her eyes. "Stop making such a big deal out of it!"

Lucas had barely been controlling himself since discovering the teenagers, but hearing Sam make what he construed as a flippant remark made him totally lose his cool. Without thinking, he grabbed Sam by the wrist and yanked her towards him. Turning her around, he gave her four stinging smacks on the seat of her sweats. When the final swat had been delivered, the room became quieter than a graveyard.

All of the blood drained from Sam's face as she stared at Lucas in shock and horror. She couldn't believe what had just happened. It wasn't like being spanked was a novelty for her. She'd lost count of the times Brooke had spanked her in the last month alone. And it wasn't just her mother-Haley had literally blistered her backside last spring when she caught her trying to copy an English paper from the internet. Karen had given her a few warning taps for language and manners over the past several months, and even Nathan had swatted her when he discovered her trying to dive in the shallow end of the pool.

But Lucas had never spanked her. Ever. He'd never even threatened. He had always been her protector; more than once coaxing Brooke out of spanking her eldest. It took Sam a moment to even comprehend what had just happened. It took Lucas a moment too, but once he realized what he had done, some of his anger melted away, and remorse filled his heart. He opened his mouth to break the horrible silence, but Sam beat him to it.

"I _hate _you!" she choked out, her eyes welling with furious tears. "I HATE you!"

"Sam," Lucas said, taking a step towards the girl.

"Stay away from me!" she screamed, darting past him and running out the door. "I don't ever want to see you again!"

"Samantha!" Lucas pleaded, hurrying after her. He ran into the hallway, intent on following the girl, but he was stopped halfway there by Haley, who was just getting off the elevator with Mitchell at her side.

"Sam," Mitchell breathed worriedly, starting to walk towards the door that had just banged shut.

"Mitchell," Haley said quietly, her eyes fixated on her brother in law. "Go to your room. It's past curfew."

Mitchell looked reluctant, and Haley moved her gaze towards him for a brief moment. "Go on," she said gently. "I'll make sure Sam's alright."

"Yes ma'am," Mitchell said softly, avoiding looking at Lucas as he shuffled down the hallway to his room.

Once Mitchell was out of ear shot, Haley spoke. "Mitchell told me what happened," she said concernedly. "He said that he and Sam fell asleep watching some crappy movie and you flipped out on them."

"I…God Haley, I don't know what happened," Lucas said, his eyes glazing over like he was in a trance. "I just…I saw them in bed together, and I freaked, and I…oh God, Hales, I messed up with Sam."

"What happened with Sam?" Haley asked, looking at him concernedly.

"I…I spanked her," Lucas admitted softly. "I was yelling at her, and she yelled back and…I don't know what came over me…I've never…and she's…oh God, Haley, what did I do?"

Haley closed her eyes and sighed resignedly. "Okay, look," she said, putting her hand on Lucas's arm. "Nathan's taking care of rounding up the kids at the pool and finishing bed checks. I think you need to go and tell Brooke what's happened. It's probably better that she knows before she comes up tomorrow."

"I can't…I have to talk to Sam," Lucas said, taking a step towards Sam's room.

"Let me talk to her," Haley insisted, stopping him gently but firmly. "She seemed really upset, and she's probably scared right now."

"I hurt her…"Lucas said faintly, his blue eyes shining with tears of remorse.

"I'm sure you didn't hurt her…not physically, anyway," Haley assured him, squeezing his shoulder for comfort. "Go on…call Brooke. I'll come talk to you when I'm done with Sam."

Lucas walked numbly back to his room, and Haley sighed once more as she watched her friend retreat. She didn't envy his task of explaining things to Brooke, but she didn't have much confidence that she would be any better talking with Sam. Taking a deep breath, she headed to Sam's room and knocked softly on the door.

**Oh, the drama! Sorry to leave you with a cliffhanger, but this is way too juicy a story line to finish in one chapter. Coming up next: Lucas calls Brooke, and it will probably go well. Haley talks to Sam, and it will probably not go well. Brooke talks to Sam after the Classic, and…I haven't decided how that's going to go yet. Depends on my mood. I know I've left you guys hanging for a long time, but please please please review! Without all your messages and reviews, I probably wouldn't have found the will to continue this story. Thanks for reading!**

**P.S. I've been wanting to make a CMM reference for a while now, and I was glad the opportunity finally presented itself!**


	20. Chapter 20

**It's been so long, and I'm sorry for that. This chapter isn't the longest, and probably not the best, but after tonight's SUPERB episode of One Tree Hill, I just couldn't put it off any longer. Things are incredibly hectic right now with law school and getting ready for a summer job. I can't promise you guys that there won't still be huge gaps between chapters. But I hope you all believe me when I promise that I will not, under any circumstances, give up on this story. Tonight's episode reminded me of how great the show is and how much I love writing about it…so much so, that I stayed up until 2 am to finish it, which I will probably regret during my 8:30 class. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and kept up with the story, even throughout the downtime. I hope you enjoy this one…I know it was a long time coming!**

Haley jumped slightly as the door flew open and she was face to face with a panicked Lucy.

"What the hell happened to Sam?" Lucy demanded, her eyes widening slightly when she realized what she had said. "Uh, I mean, do you know what's wrong with her, ma'am?"

As unfunny as the whole situation was, Haley had to bite back a smile. _Only a kid as perfect as Lucy would worry about her language at a time like this_, she thought wryly. "If you let me in so I can talk to her, I might be able to find out," Haley said pointedly.

"Oh…sure," Lucy said, blushing when she realized she'd been blocking the door. Haley walked in after Lucy stepped aside, and her heart melted when she saw her niece. Sam was lying face down on the bed, her silent sobs causing her shoulders to rise and fall shakily.

"Oh sweetheart," Haley said softly, rushing to the bed. She climbed up and leaned back against the headboard. She reached for Sam, but hesitated and looked at Lucy first. "Lucy, do you think you could give us a few minutes?"

"Yeah, of course," Lucy said quickly, growing more uneasy by the second. She wasn't used to seeing her best friend in such a state, and she had a feeling things were about to get deeply personal. "I need to shower anyways."

Once Lucy had hightailed it into the bathroom, Haley reached down and pulled Sam up towards her. The teen put up no resistance, and soon Haley had Sam's head resting against her chest as she rocked her back and forth. Haley paid no attention to the tears that were soaking her t-shirt. She just rocked and rocked, murmuring soothing, nonsensical sounds until Sam's tears were spent.

"Sweetheart, can you tell me why you're so upset?" Haley asked softly, once Sam's sobs had subsided.

"Do you…know what…he did?" Sam hiccupped, looking at Haley with reddened eyes.

"I know that he overreacted when he saw you and Mitchell together, and I know that he spanked you for it," Haley replied, brushing some of the stray tears away with her finger.

Sam's lip began to tremble, and a fresh wave of tears threatened to spill over. "How could he?" she cried, burying her face in Haley's chest again.

Haley's brow furrowed slightly as she tightened her hold on Sam. "Sam, honey, are you mad because he embarrassed you in front of Mitchell, or are you mad because he spanked you?"

"Both!" Sam wailed, her voice muffled by Haley's shirt. "He had…no right…how could he…"

"Shhh…Sam, you have to calm down, or you're going to make yourself sick," Haley soothed, stroking her niece's hair. "Sweetheart, I know Lucas has never spanked you before, but you know that he has always had permission from your mom. You've never gotten this upset when I've spanked you."

"It's not the same!" Sam cried, sniffling loudly. "I want my mom," she whimpered, looking up at Haley with bright red eyes.

Sam wouldn't have to wait long to see her mother, because Brooke was already halfway out the door to come be with her. Fortunately, Chelsea was sleeping over with Lily that night, leaving Brooke free to hurry down the interstate as she replayed her conversation with Lucas in her head.

**Flashback**

"_Hi there, boyfriend," Brooke said, cradling her cell phone in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. "I've been waiting for your call."_

"_Brooke," Lucas choked out. "I am so sorry…I don't know what I was thinking…I never meant to…"_

"_Wait, slow down," Brooke said concernedly, setting her wine down and sitting up straighter. "Sorry for what? What happened?"_

"_I…Sam…I…"_

"_Sam, what?" Brooke asked, her voice rising slightly with panic. "Lucas, focus and tell me what is going on."_

"_I spanked her," Lucas blurted out. When he was met with silence at the other end of the line, his heart rate sped up another 50 beats per minute. "Brooke, I am so sorry, and I will never…"_

"_Hold on a minute," Brooke said, her voiced laced with confusion. "You spanked her?"_

"_Yes," Lucas said helplessly, bracing himself for the fury he was sure was about to be unleashed._

"_On her rear end?"_

"_Uh…yes…"_

"_With your hand? No belt or anything, right?"_

"_Of course not!" Lucas said indignantly. He hadn't gone _that_ crazy…_

"_Well then, Luke, what the hell has you so freaked out?" Brooke demanded. "You know you have permission to discipline Sam whenever she needs it."_

"_I know that, Brooke," Lucas said, starting to feel a little exasperated. "It's just…I kind of overreacted. I found her in bed with Mitchell…"_

"_WHAT?"_

"_I'm pretty sure they were just watching a movie," Lucas said quickly, not wanting to instigate a repeat of the evening's events. "But I didn't realize that at the time, and I freaked, and I benched Mitchell and hauled Sam back to my room. I yelled at her, and she yelled back, and I…I just lost it."_

"_Okay," Brooke said, still feeling a little agitated at the thought of her teenage daughter in bed with a boy. "And then what happened?"_

"_She just…she started to cry," Lucas said softly. "She screamed that she hated me, and she ran from the room. I wanted to go talk to her but Haley…Haley said it wasn't a good idea. She's with her now."_

"_Haley's probably right," Brooke sighed, leaning her head back against the couch. _

"_Brooke, I am so, so sorry," Lucas said pleadingly._

"_Lucas, it's okay," Brooke replied. "The only thing you did wrong was to fly off the handle without getting your facts straight. But to be honest, if I saw Sam in bed with any guy, even one as great as Mitchell, I'd have probably hauled off and spanked both of them before getting my facts straight. It's a natural parental reaction," she said wryly._

"_Yeah, but you're her mother, Brooke," Lucas responded. "I had no right…"_

"_Lucas, you had every right," Brooke insisted. "You know that and Sam knows that. The problem is, you've never exercised that right before, and now you're both confused."_

"_So what do we do now?" Lucas asked, feeling some of the weight lift from his shoulder's to the sound of his girlfriend's calm voice._

"_I think I need to come up there," Brooke said. "I'm not sure exactly what set off her reaction. I want to be able to talk to her before she has the chance to dwell on this too much. Tell Haley to stay with her until I get there. It should only take me an hour."_

"_Okay," Lucas said. "Brooke?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_I love you. And I love Sam."_

"_I know," Brooke said softly. "And so does she…she just needs to be reminded."_

**End Flashback**

Brooke shook her head sadly as she eased into the left hand lane on the interstate. She truly didn't understand what was going on with her daughter. In the back of her mind she had worried about what would happen if Lucas ever got strict with Sam, since he was always such a softie with her. But then again, Sam had experienced such an opposite reaction the first time that Brooke punished her, that Brooke was sure that things would be the same once Lucas finally switched into parent mode.

**Flashback**

When Brooke had found out that her first foster child was going to be a fourteen year old girl, she had been ecstatic. She had loaded the closet in the guest bedroom with all of the latest fashions from Clothes Over Bros, filled the bathroom with all kinds of fun make-up and beauty products, and plastered posters of male teen stars all over the walls. She was so excited to be able to share her life with a mini version of herself, who was sure to be thrilled to be taken in by the queen of the fashion industry.

Thus, Brooke was slightly disappointed when her foster child turned out to be a sullen girl with unkempt hair who seemed to favor the punk look. Samantha had scoffed at the posters, refused to wear any makeup except black eyeliner, and turned up her nose at the new clothes. Brooke had been a little miffed at the girl's demeanor, but she quickly brushed it off. After all, Peyton had been into the whole bitter punk thing, and had still greatly benefited from Brooke's presence in her life. Brooke's sunny personality had always managed to balance out Peyton's emo tendencies, and Brooke was confident that with a little time, Sam would warm up.

However, after a few days, Brooke was starting to feel frustrated. It seemed as though the more Brooke bent over backwards to accommodate Sam, the more snarky and antisocial she became. One night, hours after Sam had gone to bed, Brook was sitting on the living room couch, fretting over a pint of Ben and Jerry's. She didn't understand what she was doing wrong…she thought she would be a great mom. She had been trying so hard to be a cool mom…buying things for Sam, making her homemade breakfasts, letting her speak her mind. But Sam didn't seem to care. Brooke decided then and there that she needed to have a heart to heart with Sam.

Brooke's eagerness to talk to her foster child quickly turned to fear and panic when she opened Sam's bedroom door and discovered she wasn't there. Fortunately, there was no time for her to have a complete meltdown and call the police, because two minutes after Brooke had opened the door and begun pacing hysterically around the room, Sam had hoisted herself through the bedroom window. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, both frightened and unsure. However, it didn't take long for Brooke's confidence level to rise considerably. Before either of them knew what was happening, Brooke had grabbed Samantha by the arm and threw her over her lap.

It had never even occurred to Brooke that she would use spanking as a disciplinary tool. She could remember many a night during high school, swearing that she would never spank her kids while nursing a sore rear end courtesy of Karen. But between the worry of Sam being hurt and the anger at Sam blatantly disobeying her, spanking the teenager felt like the most natural reaction in the world. Brooke had always wondered how Karen had gotten so darn good at spanking, but later she would realize that many parents had an almost savant like ability when it came to the art of discipline.

Once Brooke's hand had descended well over two dozen times, and Sam had stopped kicking and allowed her sobs to fill the room, Brooke yanked the girl off her lap and stood, wrapping her in a furious embrace.

"_Don't you ever scare me like that again," _she had whispered, clinging tightly to the girl. Sam had only allowed the hug for a moment, before shrugging Brooke off and mumbling that she wanted to go to bed. Brooke had wanted to insist that they needed to talk, but the enormity of what had just happened was overwhelming to her as well, and she nodded silently, leaving Sam with a goodnight and an order to remain in bed.

Brooke hadn't gotten a wink of sleep that night. She was sure that at precisely 7 am the next morning, Sam was going to call Social Services and demand a new placement. She had promised that she was going to be the coolest, kindest mother ever, and she had hauled off and spanked her foster child within five days of knowing her.

The next morning, however, Brooke was in for a shock. At 7 am sharp, Sam was sitting at the kitchen island. Her eyes were slightly red, and she sat a little cautiously in her chair, but she greeted Brooke more politely than she ever had before. And when Brooke served her a bowl of cereal along with a pat on the shoulder, Sam didn't flinch away. And as her hand gently squeezed her foster daughter's shoulder, Brooke somehow knew that everything was going to turn out alright.

**End Flashback**

There had been many more spankings since then, Brooke thought ruefully to herself as she pressed the elevator button at the hotel. But even after Sam's worse spanking (the one that happened after Brooke found a joint in her backpack), Sam had never reacted as strongly as she had tonight with Lucas. Brooke didn't know what she was going to do or say when Haley opened Sam's hotel room door. But when Sam looked up at her with huge, tear-streaked eyes, and ran into her open arms, Brooke knew that at that moment, it didn't matter what she said or did. She just had to hold her baby like she always did, and eventually, everything would turn out alright.

**I plan on having the issue between Sam and Lucas resolved in the next chapter, though the discussion of it may reveal some deeper problems Sam is having. I also plan on featuring Chelsea more in the next chapter. And maybe we'll get to the joint story eventually as well, haha. I swear to you, I will do my best to have the next chapter up more quickly this time. I don't want to give anyone false hope, but I really am trying to get stuff written. Again, I'm so sorry for the wait, but I am so grateful to all of my loyal readers, and I hope that you continue to stick with me and leave me nice, encouraging reviews.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hey everyone! This update is a little shorter than what I usually give you for two reasons. One, it's finals time and I didn't want to fall into another trap of making you guys wait for months. Two, I had a lot more detail to put into this reconciliation than I realized, so I decided I would break it in half so you didn't get bogged down with detail. I know I said that Sam and Luke would make some sort of reconciliation in this chapter, but I'm going to make you guys wait for the next one. This chapter is entirely devoted to Sam and Brooke with a dash of Chelsea, and I hope you enjoy it! Please leave a review…they always give me a lot of inspiration!**

The door of the Davis house swung open as Brooke twisted her key in the lock. Placing one hand on each of her daughter's backs, she led them into the living room, which was comfortably warm compared to the seasonal chill outside.

"Chelsea Lynn," Brooke said, stroking her youngest daughter's hair. "Why don't you go put away all your sleepover things? Then you can play in your room until dinner. Mama and Sam need to talk."

Chelsea crinkled her nose and looked at her sister worriedly. When she had gotten in the car after Mama picked her up from Lily's house, Sam had been in the front seat crying silently. Chelsea had asked her what was wrong, but Mama had gently told her to mind her own business. Sam had stopped crying halfway home, but she still looked really sad, and Chelsea was concerned in the way only a little sister could be.

Brooke saw the little girl's worry, and she patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Go on, sweetheart. Mama and Sam will both play with you later, okay?"

Chelsea nodded and turned towards the stairs, but quickly turned back. Without saying a word, she ran the few steps to her big sister and threw her arms around her waist for a brief second before letting go and scurrying up to her room. As Chelsea let go, Sam's face crumpled for approximately the seventh time in the past 24 hours, and she began to whimper.

Brooke sighed and wrapped her arm around Sam's shoulders, leading her over to the couch before going to get supplies. This weekend had turned out much differently than she had expected. She couldn't get a word out of Sam last night at the hotel. Finally, she gave up and lay down as the teenager cried herself to sleep in her arms. After the cheerleading competition, in which the Ravens had placed first despite Sam's struggle to keep a smile on her face, Brooke had bundled her daughter up in the car and driven her home. She had originally planned to stay and watch the second half of the basketball game, but she knew that Sam's teammates were going to start asking questions about Sam's sudden change in mood. Besides, there was no way Sam was going to ride the bus home with Lucas, and Brooke was anxious to get her daughter home to a place where she felt safe. Despite her efforts to cheer Sam up by letting her choose the radio station and buying her a burger for lunch, Brooke wasn't able to get a word or a glimpse of a smile out of Sam.

After retrieving a glass of water and a box of tissues, Brooke joined her crying daughter on the couch, wrapping Sam in her arms and the both of them in an enormous afghan.

"Alright, Honey," Brooke soothed, rocking Sam back and forth. "We're home now. Just let it all out."

Sam cried in her mother's arms for easily another ten minutes, before her sobs turned into hiccups. After giving her a few sips of water and making her blow her nose, Brooke placed her hand on Sam's cheek and turned the girl's flushed face towards hers.

"Samantha, sweetheart, I need you to tell me what's wrong," Brooke said, her voice quiet but earnest. "I don't think it's because Mitchell knows you got spanked, since I know you two have talked to each other about that. That means it must be something to do with Lucas, but I don't understand what it is."

"I don't want to talk about it," Sam mumbled, turning her face away.

"Samantha, we have to talk about it," Brooke said firmly. "You know you can tell me anything and I will still love you, no matter what."

Sam's lower lip began to tremble once more, and Brooke sighed again, hating the fact that her daughter was hurting and she didn't know how to fix it.

"Sam," she tried again. "Please help me understand what's going on in your head. I know that Lucas overreacted when he punished you, but he truly did it because he loves you."

"Well, I don't love him!" Sam said harshly. "I hate him, and I never want to see him again!"

"Samantha Nicole!" Brooke said, shocked at her daughter's sudden flash of temper. "You do not mean that!"

"Yes I do!" Sam insisted, her face turning bright red with fury. "He's a liar, and I hate him! I hate him!" she screamed, grabbing a throw pillow and throwing it angrily across the room.

"Whoa whoa, time out!" Brooke said, a little more sharply than she meant to, but only out of concern for her daughter. She wrapped her hands around Sam's upper arms before she could grab another projectile, and pulled her in close to face her. "What do you mean, he's a liar?"

"He broke his promise!" Sam cried, trying in vain to free herself from her mother's grasp. "He promised me, and he lied! He's just like the rest of them!"

"Samantha, what promise?" Brooke pleaded, tightening her grip. "Please, take a deep breath, and start from the beginning. What promise did Lucas break?"

Sam finally realized she wasn't getting away, and she stopped struggling, though it took a few more seconds for her breathing to become less heavy and irregular.

"Three months after I came to live with you," she began, her voice dry from the screaming and crying. "Lucas was staying with me while you and Aunt Peyton went to the spa. I stubbed my toe, and I said…something I shouldn't have said."

"Okay," Brooke said encouragingly, loosening her grip slightly and using her right hand to brush a damp strand of hair out of Sam's eyes. "Go on."

"This was right after you'd told me you had enough of my language, and that every time I said a bad word I was gonna get a swat," Sam continued. "Anyways, I said the word, and Lucas just looked at me with that weird eyebrow thing he does and said 'Didn't I hear you mom say that you needed to watch your language?'"

"So then I asked him if he was gonna spank me, because you told him to before you left the house if I used that word. And he came over and put his arm around me and said, 'Nah, Sammi girl. I could never spank you.'"

"You see?" Sam demanded, her eyes tearing up once more. "He promised, and he lied to me!"

"Okay, hold on a minute," Brooke said, feeling a little flustered at the whole situation. "Sweetheart, I doubt Lucas even remembers saying that to you. I'm sure at the time he thought he never would spank you, but that was a long time ago. Your relationship is a lot different now. Back then he was just your cool uncle, but now he's starting to see you as his daughter."

"I don't WANT him to see me as his daughter!" Sam cried. "Don't you get it? This is how it starts! People make promises, and then they forget about them. They tell you they love you, and they forget. Then they tell you you've got a home with them forever, and they forget! Lucas forgot his promise, and pretty soon he's going to forget his other promises too! He's going to forget that he loves us, and that he loves you, and he's going to leave!"

"Oh Samantha," Brooke said, her eyes filling with tears as she finally realized what was upsetting her child. "Baby, I know you've been hurt in the past, but you can't go through life thinking that everyone you let love you is going to let you down. The whole reason Lucas reacted the way he did is because he loves you with all his heart, and he wants to protect you."

"Then why did he lie to me?" Sam whimpered, growing more upset at the sight of her mom crying.

"Honey, I don't think he did lie to you," Brooke said gently. "Sometimes people say things and they don't think about them. I don't think Lucas intended for you to interpret what he said as a promise. But we will explain the situation to him, and we will work it out. If it's going to make you this upset to have him discipline you, we can talk about that."

Sam looked down at her lap. "I don't know if I want to talk to him," she whispered.

Brooke took a deep breath. "If you feel like you need more time before you talk to him, then we will give you your space," she said. "I don't want to push you before you're ready. But I do think that the sooner you two talk to each other, the better you both will feel. I think you know deep down that Lucas never meant to hurt you, and that he will never hurt you like the past adults in your life. He feels terrible about what happened, and he wants to make it up to you so badly."

"I know, but…I don't know if I trust him anymore," Sam said shakily.

"I understand," Brooke said softly. "Samantha, there's always a possibility of getting hurt when you allow people into your life. But if you close everyone off, you'll end up alone, and that is the last thing I want for you, sweetheart."

"What does it matter? I always end up alone," Sam said, her voice barely audible as she continued to look down.

"Hey," Brooke said, tilting Sam's chin up and looking her in the eye. "The moment you walked into this house for the first time, you stopped being alone. I am your mother, and you are my daughter. No matter who else comes in and out of our lives, you, me and Chelsea are a family. I will never leave you, and I will never, ever stop loving you. And I will tell you that every day for the rest of your life if I have to until you believe that's a promise I won't break. So do you believe me, or do I need to keep saying it?"

Sam looked at her mother for a moment before nodding slowly and leaning in to rest her head on her shoulder. Brooke wrapped her arms around Samantha's thin shoulders and rocked her gently.

"I love you, Baby Girl," Brooke said tenderly, giving Sam a kiss on her soft brown hair.

"I love you too, Mama," Sam said, her voice muffled against Brooke's shoulder. The teen wrapped her arms around her mother's waist and allowed her to rock all the pain away.

"Sam?" Brooke asked after a few minutes. "I hate to ask this but…you and Mitchell really did just fall asleep watching a movie, right?"

Sam looked up at her in disbelief. "Really? You're actually asking me that?" she said incredulously.

"I know, I know," Brooke said quickly, rubbing Sam's back. "I just…had to check."

"At least you took the time to check," Sam grumbled.

"Hey, I know there's a deeper issue here, but trust me, if I had seen you in bed with Mitchell, there are no guarantees that I wouldn't have spanked you too. After I threw him out the window," Brooke said, only halfway joking.

Before Sam could make a retort, she was distracted by the sound of feet pounding down the stairs.

"Mama?" Chelsea asked, approaching the couch. "I know I was supposed to play in my room, but can I give Sissy something?"

Brooke looked down at Sam for a moment, then looked back to her youngest. "Of course, Baby Doll. I think she would like that."

Chelsea skipped over and thrust a large piece of paper at Sam. "I made this for you Sissy," she said shyly. "I started it at Lily's and finished it upstairs. It's our family."

Sam sat up and accepted the drawing from her sister. Chelsea had drawn a large yellow house (where she came up with yellow, Sam had no idea, since everyone they knew lived in a white house), and it was surrounded by a blue sky and a brilliant sun. Standing next to the house was a large group of people, and underneath each person Chelsea had painstakingly scrawled out their names in her large six-year-old handwriting.

"See Sissy?" Chelsea said, pointing to the people individually. "I drew Aunt Karen and Uncle Andy with Lily, and Jamie with Aunt Haley and Uncle Nathan. And I drew you and me and Mama and Uncle Lucas and Sawyer all together too."

Sam stared at the innocent drawing Chelsea had created. Even though she had only given the people stick arms, it was very obvious to see what Lucas was doing in the picture. One arm was attached to a small lump with a bottle that must have been Sawyer. The other was hugging the stick figure with long brown hair and the name "Sissy" scrawled beneath it.

Brooke noticed the placement of the figures in the picture as well, and she gave Sam a warm squeeze on her shoulder. "It's beautiful, Chelsea," she said, reaching out her free hand to stroke the little girl's cheek. "We'll get a frame so Sissy can hang it in her room, okay?"

"Can we go get one while we get pizza?" asked Chelsea excitedly.

"Excuse me?" Brooke said playfully, pulling her youngest onto her lap. "Who said anything about getting pizza?"

"Mom?" Sam said softly, finally tearing her eyes away from the picture. "Maybe…maybe you and Chelsea could go pick up some pizza?"

"Why don't you just come with us?" Brooke asked, furrowing her eyebrows. "We could eat at the pizza place. I'll even give you money for the jukebox," she coaxed.

Sam took a deep breath. "I was…I was thinking maybe I could wait here…with Uncle Lucas. You know…we could talk while you were getting the pizza," she said quietly.

Brooke's eyes glossed over with tears, and she took Sam's hand in her own. "I think he would like that very much," she said softly. "Why don't I give him a call?"

**Brooke is the best mom ever…I still haven't forgiven Mark Schwan for not letting her adopt Sam. Coming up next: Lucas will go to the best parent he knows for advice on the situation (for those who flunked OTH 101, that would be Karen) and then, finally, he and Sam will talk the whole thing out. I will be updating this story again before I update The Man Who Looks Like You, only because I've left you guys with this huge storyline for so long. Please review if you get the chance, and thanks to all of you who reviewed last time! I really appreciate all of you sticking with me.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry; I thought I'd never get this chapter done. Between finals and trying out for a journal and starting a new job, I just didn't have the energy to make it happen. But finally, here it is, the one you've all been waiting for: Sam and Lucas make up! Thank you to all my loyal readers/reviewers who never let me down with your kind words, and thank you to all my new readers/reviewers who have given this story a shot. You guys are all great, and I hope this chapter meets your expectations!**

Lucas stepped inside the entryway of his mother's house, heaving a deep sigh as he closed the door behind him. Before he could call for her, Karen stepped out from the kitchen, clad in sweats and a ponytail.

"Lucas," she said, sounding slightly surprised. "I wasn't expecting you for another couple of hours."

"Yeah…I drove Nathan's car home right after the game was over," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets and hunching his shoulders. "We won, but I wasn't really in the mood to stay for the awards ceremony."

Karen's brow furrowed in concern; she remembered that stance from when Lucas was a teenager and he had wanted to talk to her but had been too nervous. The last time had been when he was seventeen and needed money for the three speeding tickets he had managed to accumulate within a month. Karen sighed to herself, knowing that the emotional pain he was feeling right now was a lot worse than the pain he had felt after she had taken him over her knee all those years ago.

"Sawyer's upstairs sleeping," she finally said. "And Andy took Lily to get some ice cream. Why don't you come sit with me for a while?"

Lucas nodded and robotically followed his mother, sitting next to her on the suede couch. After a few moments of silence, Karen finally spoke.

"I got the cliff notes version from Brooke," she said, placing her hand gently on his knee. "You wanna tell me what's on your mind?"

To the surprise of both mother and son, Lucas's eyes glossed over with a thin layer of tears. "I don't know what happened, Ma," he said softly. "I've never felt that way in my whole life. It was like…the moment I saw her in that bed, I stepped out of my body and left behind this completely irrational guy. I was just so…"

"Scared?" Karen finished, after his voice had trailed off. When Lucas nodded silently, she squeezed his knee comfortingly. "Lucas, it is completely understandable that you reacted that way. Don't you remember the first time I caught you and Brooke in bed together?"

Lucas cringed, remembering that incident all too well. He and Brooke had fallen asleep after doing the deed and Karen had come home before they had woken up. To make matters worse, Keith had been with her. Both adults had yelled at the teens for a solid thirty minutes before Karen hauled Brooke off to her room, leaving Keith to have a discussion with his nephew via his belt.

"This was different, Mom," he said. "I mean, when you went off on Brooke and I, you had a legitimate reason, seeing as we actually were…you know. But Sam hadn't done anything wrong. She was just watching a movie, and I totally lost my cool. What kind of person does that make me?"

"It makes you a concerned father," Karen said firmly, shaking his knee slightly. "Lucas, there is no rule book for being a parent. You're going to make mistakes, and overreacting is one of them. It's something you need to learn to watch out for, but as long as you're overreacting out of concern and love for your child, and not out of anger, you can't beat yourself up for it."

Lucas shook his head. "I don't think I'm going to be making any more mistakes with Sam," he said quietly. "She doesn't ever want to see me again."

"Lucas, I'm sure she…" Karen began.

"She said she didn't!" Lucas exploded, jumping to his feet in frustration. "She said she never wanted to see me again, and that she hated me! She said she hated me, Ma," he repeated more softly, turning his head away so Karen wouldn't see the lone tear trickling from his eye. He turned back around in shock, however, when he heard Karen snort with laughter behind him.

"Do you seriously think this is funny?" Lucas said slowly, staring at his mother like she had lost her mind.

Karen chuckled and shook her head. "Not exactly," she said, patting the couch next to her. Lucas sat down, leaning slightly away in case Karen was having a nervous breakdown.

"Lucas, do you remember when you were thirteen and you failed that math test at school?" she asked, finally getting her mirth under control.

Lucas squinted in confusion. "I never failed a math test…I was great at math."

"You were when you studied," Karen said pointedly. "And the week before that test, you had been telling me that you were studying at the library after school, when you were really going to the River Court to play basketball."

"I have no recollection of this, but even if it happened, what does it have to do with you laughing at a seriously inopportune time?"

Karen turned towards him, crossing her legs Indian style on the couch. "Trust me, it happened. You brought that test home for me to sign, and it wasn't long before I figured out that you had been lying to me. Even though I usually would have spanked you for lying, I decided it would be more effective to ground you from your friends and the River Court for a month. And apparently it was effective; because you looked me straight in the eye and told me you hated me before running off to your room."

Lucas mouth dropped open slightly as the memories came rushing back to him. "I remember now," he said, blushing. "Keith came over later, and when he heard what I'd done, he came in and whipped my butt. I remember him telling me how much I had hurt you by saying that."

"And do you remember what you did after he punished you?" Karen prompted. "You came out to the living room and sat in my lap…something you hadn't done since you were ten. You threw your arms around me and started apologizing, telling me that you didn't mean it and that you really loved me. And even though I was incredibly hurt at the time, I knew you were telling the truth."

"Mom, I get what you're trying to tell me, but it just isn't the same," Lucas insisted. "My relationship with Sam is so much newer than my relationship with you was. She's been hurt so much in her life, and now I've hurt her too. She has every right to hate me."

"She doesn't hate you, Lucas," Karen said firmly. "She hates that you were upset with her, she hates that you punished her without listening to her, but she doesn't hate you. If she didn't love you, she wouldn't have gotten half as upset. We always get angriest at those we love," she added, placing a warm hand on her son's cheek.

Lucas reached up to hold his mom's hand, but before he had a chance to grasp it, his cell phone started ringing loudly.

"It's Brooke," he said nervously, looking at the caller id. He stared at it for a moment, not sure he was ready to answer, when Sawyer let out a wail from the back bedroom.

"I'll take care of her," Karen said, standing up before Lucas could react to his daughter's cries. "You talk to Brooke. It will all be okay," she added gently, stroking his cheek one last time before hurrying to attend to her granddaughter.

Ten minutes later, Karen came back into the living room, holding freshly changed Sawyer in her arms. "How did it go?" she asked warily, noticing that Lucas had his head bowed and his eyes closed.

Lucas raised his head and looked at her. "Do you mind keeping Sawyer for another night?" he asked. "I think Sam and I need to have a long talk."

"Of course," Karen said immediately, relieved that at least some progress seemed to have been made regarding the situation. "You don't worry about a thing; she'll be ready for you to pick up in the morning."

"Thanks Mom," Lucas said, rising to his feet and giving her a hug. "For everything."

"You're welcome, my boy," she said tenderly, stroking the back of his head with her free hand.

"Bye Princess," Lucas said softly, giving Sawyer a gentle kiss on the forehead. "You be good for Grandma Karen."

"Ugh…I'm never going to get used to being called Grandma," Karen said with a woeful chuckle. Lucas flashed his first smile since last night, before heading out the door.

Ten minutes later, another door was flung open in Lucas's face and he was met with a sunny smile. "Hey there, Peanut," Lucas said, leaning down and lifting Chelsea into his arms.

"Hi Uncle Lucas," Chelsea said, throwing her arms around his neck. As he was returning the hug, she leaned into his ear and whispered, "Sammi is really sad. She's been cryin' since we got home."

Lucas sighed inwardly and rubbed the little girl's back. "I know, Peanut," he said quietly. "I'm going to try and make her feel better, okay?"

"Okay," Chelsea said seriously, trusting Uncle Lucas to take care of things. "And while you do that, I'm going with Mama to get pizza. You need to make Sammi feel better before we get back cause we're gettin' her favorite-extra pepperonis."

"Yes, we are," Brooke said, appearing in the doorway and taking Chelsea from Lucas's arms. "And we're going to get sausage and mushroom for Mama and Uncle Lucas, right?" she asked, tickling Chelsea and receiving a giggled confirmation from the little girl.

Brooke turned her attentions to her boyfriend, looking deeply into his eyes. "She's in the living room," she said, reaching out and taking his hand. "She knows I've told you everything. Just keep telling her how much you love her, and everything will be fine. We'll be back soon."

"Okay," Lucas said, squeezing and releasing her hand. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Brooke said, giving him an encouraging smile before carrying Chelsea off to the car.

Lucas took a deep breath and entered the house, shutting the door behind him. He nervously entered the living room, feeling his heart swell with emotion at the sight of Sam. She was dressed in a pair of warm fleece pajamas, her knees drawn towards her chest and her back towards him.

"Hey Sam," he said, the crack in his voice giving away his emotions.

"Hey," Sam replied, almost inaudibly. Lucas, not wanting to push her, stood silently, waiting for her to make the first move.

"How was the game?" Sam finally mumbled, keeping her eyes averted from Lucas.

"It went well," Lucas said, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "Mitchell scored the winning three pointer."

"I thought you benched him," Sam commented, a hint of accusation creeping through in her voice.

Lucas nodded slowly. "I…took that back. I should never have done it in the first place," he admitted.

"That's not the only thing you shouldn't have done," Sam snapped.

"No, it's not," Lucas said softly. He sat down cautiously on the couch, making sure to keep a good distance between himself and Sam. "I have a lot of things to apologize for, but first, I want to apologize for lying to you. I wasn't thinking when I told you I would never spank you. I never should have made you a promise like that."

"Then why did you?"

Lucas leaned his elbows against his knees and stared into the fire that Brooke had built before leaving the house. "Sam, when you first became a part of Brooke's life, I didn't anticipate how important you would become to me. I thought that, at best, I would just be a fun uncle that came around once in a while and spoiled you with presents. I loved you a lot, but I always assumed that Brooke would eventually meet someone else who would become your father."

Sam didn't say anything, but she didn't make any move to leave, so Lucas assumed it was safe to keep talking. "After Peyton died, I didn't just fall in love with your mom all over again. I fell in love with you and Chelsea too. I started to see you less as my nieces and more as my daughters. I care for both of you just as much as I care for Sawyer."

Sam still didn't make a sound, but the tension in her shoulders loosened slightly as Lucas continued to speak.

"When I…saw you in that bed," he continued, "Every bad decision I ever made, that your mom ever made, than Aunt Peyton ever made…they all came flooding back to me. And all I could see when I saw you was a little girl…_my _little girl…in a situation that she wasn't ready for…that I wasn't ready for. So, I got angry, and I said things I shouldn't have said, and I didn't things I shouldn't have done."

"You really hurt my feelings," Sam said suddenly, keeping her back to him but turning her head slightly. "You wouldn't even listen to me, and you broke your promise. I didn't do anything wrong."

"I know you didn't, Sammi Girl," Lucas desperately. "This whole thing was entirely my fault, and if you aren't ready to forgive me, I'll understand. And…if you are no longer comfortable with me being in your life, I'll understand that too. But if you ever decide that you want me in your life, whether it's four days or forty years from now, I will be there. I love you, Samantha Davis."

Lucas held his breath, hoping that Sam would turn and fling herself into his arms and offer him forgiveness. But after the teenager remained still and hunched over for nearly a minute, Lucas sighed and stood to leave, but not before placing his hand on the girl's shoulder and squeezing gently. He had made it about five steps away from the couch when Sam's voice broke the silence.

"I never thought you were going to be my father either," she blurted out.

Lucas stopped in his tracks and turned back around. "I know," he said softly.

"And…I don't think I'm ready to have you punish me," she added awkwardly. "At least…not like you did last night."

Lucas took a tentative step back towards the couch. "I understand. I'll do my best to make sure it doesn't happen again," he said, hoping that he had phrased his words in less of a promising way than before.

"But…except for that…I think I might want you as my father," she whispered, finally turning towards him. "And…I don't like being mad at you."

"I don't like it either," Lucas said, sitting down on the couch and hopefully holding out his arms.

Sam looked at him for a moment, before her face crumpled and she crawled across the couch into Lucas's embrace. Lucas held her tightly, and Sam leaned against his chest, allowing him to rock her as if she were Sawyer's size.

"I'm so sorry, Sweetheart," Lucas whispered, his own tears dampening Sam's hair.

"I'm sorry, too," Sam whimpered into his shoulder.

"Shh, no no no," Lucas said, rubbing her back. "You didn't do anything wrong. You have nothing to apologize for. I'm so sorry I made you feel this way, Sweetheart."

Sam nodded, and the two sat in silence for a while, both drinking in the comfort of each other's arms. Sam finally lifted her head and looked Lucas in the eye.

"You don't have to worry, Uncle Lucas," she said tentatively. "I'm not…ready for what you thought I was doing. And Mitchell's a good guy…he would never do anything to hurt me."

"I know that," Lucas said gently, brushing a stray piece of hair from her face. "I've already apologized to him. He didn't deserve what happened either."

"You do get it, don't you Sam?" he asked. "Why I acted the way I did?"

Sam nodded and leaned back onto his chest. "Because you love me. Just like Mom spanks me for sneaking out, and Haley spanks me for cheating, and all the rest of you spank me for whatever random reason. Because you love me."

Lucas chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Sounds like you think we love you a little too much," he said jokingly.

Sam smiled back at him and shook her head. "Nah…most of the time, you love me just right."

"We're back!" shrieked Chelsea, stomping through the door and struggling under the weight of a two liter bottle of soda. "It's time for pizza!"

"Good," Lucas said, lifting Sam off his lap and rising to his feet, keeping a gentle hand on Sam's shoulder. "We're starving."

"Starving, huh?" Brooke said, coming in with the pizza boxes and looking at her boyfriend and daughter questioningly.

"Yeah," Sam said, looking up at Lucas with a smile. "Talking takes a lot out of you."

Brooke smiled, setting down the pizza boxes and coming over to give Sam a hug. "Yes it does," she said, looking at Lucas over Sam's head. "But it sounds like it was worth the exhaustion."

**Whew! Who knew a four chapter plotline could take that long to crank out? The next chapter is for all of you Chelsea fans! Chelsea's going to come down with the flu and get to spend some quality time with Mama while Sam gets to hang out with Aunt Karen. Lots of cuddles will ensue, and I'll toss in some stuff about Chelsea's adoption and Brooke's life with Karen just for kicks and giggles. Please read and review!**


	23. Chapter 23

**I know, it's been too long (again), but it's finally here! I hope you enjoy it, because next on my agenda is to update "The Man Who Looks Like You". Also coming up are some one-shots that I will be writing for vballr217 because, if you look at my profile, you will see that she created an incredible trailer for "A Mother's Duties"! It is truly wonderful, and I am very grateful to her for putting in the time and effort to make it. So, as a thank you, I am going to be writing some one-shots in TMWLLY universe, based on Keith and Jules and the adoption of Brooke, Peyton and Haley. Look for those in the next few weeks (I hope) and enjoy the latest installment of AMD!**

"Mama!"

Brooke jumped four feet in the air at the sound of her youngest daughter's plaintive wail, nearly banging her head on the bedpost. She was used to being awoken by Chelsea crawling into bed with her, but not by her shrieking. Brooke threw the covers off and raced down the hall.

"Baby, what's…? Oh, no," Brooke said, groaning inwardly at the sight of Chelsea's vomit covered blankets. "Sweetheart, what happened?" she asked, coming over and lifting Chelsea gingerly from her bed.

"Mama, I don't feel good," Chelsea moaned, throwing her arms around Brooke's neck. Brooke grimaced as she felt Chelsea's soiled pajamas soak onto her silk camisole, but she bit back her thoughts of disgust and rubbed the little girl's back comfortingly.

"Ok Baby, let's get you cleaned up and then we'll take your temperature," she said, heading out into the hallway where she bumped into a confused Sam.

"Mom, what's going…ew!" Sam shrieked, covering her eyes when she saw Chelsea's pajama top. "Oh my god, please tell me I did not just see that!"

Brooke rolled her eyes at Sam; Sam might act like a badass in a lot of situations, but she tended to freak out whenever she saw blood or vomit. Usually Brooke was pretty understanding about it, but at 2:00 in the morning with a sick, crying six year old in her arms, Brooke was in no mood to deal with an overly sensitive teenager.

"Samantha, enough," Brooke said sternly. "You're upsetting your sister. Now go get me a glass of water and the first aid kit, unless you'd rather take Chelsea's dirty sheets down to the laundry room?"

Sam, wide awake after being completely grossed out, did not need to be told twice. She scampered down to the kitchen while Brooke carried Chelsea into the master bathroom.

"Okay, Princess, let's get these icky 'jamas off you," Brooke said, sitting on the edge of the large Jacuzzi tub and drawing Chelsea between her knees.

"Mama, my tummy hurts!" Chelsea whimpered, scrubbing her fist across her eyes.

"I know, Honey. We're gonna figure out what's wrong and make it all better." As soon as she removed Chelsea's shirt, Brooke knew exactly what was wrong, but she also knew it was going to be at least a few days before it was all better.

"Well, it looks like somebody's got a case of the chicken pox," she said with a sigh, examining the bright red spots that had sprouted up on Chelsea's stomach.

"Chicken pops?" Chelsea repeated, her teary eyes widening. "I'm turning into a chicken?"

Brooke chuckled and kissed her daughter as she helped her out of her pajama bottoms. "No Sweetheart, you're not turning into a chicken. But you are going to be pretty sick for the next few days," she said gently.

"But I'm supposed to go camping with Jamie and Lily and Uncle Nathan and Uncle Andy this weekend!" Chelsea protested, her lower lip starting to stick out. "Mama, you said I could go!"

"I know I did, Baby, but you weren't sick when I said you could go. You know when you're sick you have to stay at home so you don't make anyone else sick," Brooke reminded her. She stood up and turned on the tap to run a bath for Chelsea.

"No fair!" Chelsea wailed, scrunching up her face and stomping her foot. Ordinarily, Brooke would have quelled a temper tantrum with a quick swat, but she certainly wasn't going to punish the little girl when she was sick and disappointed. Instead of spanking her, she knelt on the tiled floor and gathered her once again in her arms.

"I know, Baby, it's not fair," she acknowledged, stroking Chelsea's raven colored hair as the child sobbed into her shoulder. She looked up when she heard a tentative knock at the door.

"Thanks, Sam," she said, giving her eldest a smile as she set down a glass of cold water and a well-stocked first aid kit. As the teen came forward to pat her little sister on the head, apparently over her fear of vomit, a sudden thought struck Brooke. "Sam, wait. Before you touch her, have you ever had chicken pox?"

Sam stopped obediently, her hand in midair. "Uh…I dunno," she said, scrunching her nose in thought. "My foster parents didn't exactly pamper me when I was sick. The pretty much gave me Tylenol no matter what was wrong with me and told me to shut up."

"And I don't remember seeing anything about it on your medical records," Brooke said, standing up and shutting off the tap. "Well, you may have already had it, but just in case, I'm going to see if you can stay with Karen or Haley this weekend. I'd rather not deal with two itchy children in one weekend. You go on back to bed, and I'll let you know what's going on in the morning."

"Sounds good to me," Sam said, backing out of the bathroom. "Sorry, Chels," she added, giving the tiny girl a sympathetic smile as she left.

After changing her own pajama top, Brooke bathed Chelsea using soothing oatmeal based soap from Clothes over Bros. Following the bath, she bundled the woeful little girl into a new nightgown and took her temperature. She winced slightly as she saw that it was 101.7 degrees, knowing that the fever was making Chelsea uncomfortable. Unfortunately, she remembered from one of her parenting books that some medicines could be risky to a child with chicken pox, and she didn't want to take any chances. The fever was just going to have to pass on its own.

"Here you go, Baby," Brooke said, tucking her in snuggly. "You can stay with Mama tonight so you can let me know if you feel bad again."

"If I don't feel bad again, can I still go camping?" Chelsea asked, her lips forming a tiny pout.

Brooke sighed, but opted not to push her luck. Chelsea had calmed down a bit during her bath and Brooke wanted her to get some sleep. "We'll talk about it in the morning," she said gently, lying down next to her daughter. "Try to get some sleep, Princess."

Unfortunately, Brooke couldn't put off the subject of the camping trip forever, and when Karen came by the next morning to pick up Sam, she was greeted with the sight of a stony faced little girl wrapped in blankets on the couch and ignoring the Disney movie her mother had put in for her.

"Hey Karen," Brooke said, letting her surrogate mother into the house. "Thanks for taking Sam. With the long weekend from school, I don't want her cooped up in this house with all the germs."

"It's no problem," Karen assured her. "Even if she has already been exposed, Andy and I have both had chicken pox, and Lily's been vaccinated. She can stay as long as you need."

Brooke raised her eyebrows. "You mind keeping her until she turns eighteen?"

"Very funny," Sam grumbled, lugging her duffel bag down the stairs. "Just because I'm healthy, I get picked on."

"I'm teasing you, weirdo," Brooke said, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Now promise you're going to behave for Aunt Karen and not drive her so crazy that she runs away on a yacht again."

"Oh don't worry, she'll behave," Karen said solemnly. "I've been waiting for an excuse to begin my spring cleaning, so she'll have plenty to keep her occupied this weekend."

"Aw, come on, Aunt Karen!" Sam complained, a pout that was alarmingly similar to Chelsea's beginning to appear on her face. "It's a three day weekend! And besides, you haven't even lived in that house a year! How could you possibly have any spring cleaning to do?"

"Sam, I'm kidding," Karen said, laughing at the teen's miffed expression. "I went to the grocery store before I came over here to stock up on junk food, and I even rented those weird vampire movies I know you're obsessed with."

"Cool!" Sam said, brightening considerably. "Although, I was kind of hoping you could tell me some stories about Mom when she was my age," she said conspiratorially.

"I think that could be arranged," Karen said, winking at her niece.

"Uh, please keep it PG," Brooke said nervously. "There are plenty of stories she doesn't need to know until she's older."

"I think this weekend is going to be a lot better than I thought," Sam said decidedly, hefting her duffel over her shoulder. "Bye Mom," she said, giving Brooke a one armed hug.

"Bye, you little monster," Brooke said, returning the hug and giving her a kiss on top of the head.

"Bye, Chels!" Sam called towards the living room. "I love you!" Chelsea, arms folded tightly, did not respond. It was bad enough that she couldn't go on the camping trip; now her sissy was going off for a fun weekend at Aunt Karen's without her. The injustice of it all was so great that the little girl refused to even acknowledge that she'd heard Sam's goodbye.

"Have fun," Karen said sympathetically, following Sam out to the car. Brooke waved them off with a smile and took a deep breath before heading back into the living room.

"Are you enjoying the movie, Sweetheart?" she asked, sitting on the couch and rubbing Chelsea's knee through the blankets.

"It's a stupid movie," Chelsea grumbled, turning away from the TV in disgust. Brooke sighed inwardly. _The Little Mermaid_ was Chelsea's favorite movie, so if that wasn't cheering her up she didn't know what would.

"Would you like me to put in another movie? Or maybe put on some cartoons?" Brooke prodded.

"No. I want to go camping," Chelsea said stubbornly, looking her mother defiantly in the eye. Brooke raised her eyebrow, but couldn't bring herself to scold the little girl, no matter how poor her attitude was.

"Chelsea, we already talked about this. You can't go camping when you're sick," Brooke said patiently. "You could get even sicker, and you could make Jamie sick too. He's never had chicken pox, and it wouldn't be fair to him, would it?"

"It's not fair to me," Chelsea said pointedly. "Everybody gets to have fun except me."

"I know you're disappointed, Sweetheart," Brooke said gently. "But we'll try to make our weekend at home as fun as possible. At least you have Mama all to yourself, right?"

Chelsea didn't respond, and Brooke came to the conclusion that they weren't going to get anywhere at this rate. "Okay," Brooke said, picking Chelsea up and heading towards the stairs. "I can tell you're still really tired, and Mama's tired too, so how about we go take a nap?"

"I don't wanna nap!" Chelsea snapped, trying to get down but not having enough strength in her little body.

"Come on, let's just rest our eyes for a few minutes. I'll even read you a story."

"I hate all my stories!"

"Well, then I'll tell you a new story," Brooke said with exasperation, finally reaching her bedroom and depositing Chelsea on the plush comforter.

Chelsea's opened her mouth to argue again, but curiosity got the better of her. "What kind of story?"

"Um…" Brooke plopped down on the bed next to her daughter, and realized she didn't know any stories. She racked her brain frantically, wishing that Lucas and his killer literary skills were here. She looked around the room, trying to find anything that might give her an idea. Her eyes fell on a photo in a sparkly purple frame sitting on top of her dresser. It had been taken almost a year ago, during a party held at the Davis house to celebrate Chelsea's adoption. Brooke was sitting in a chair on the back deck, with Sam head resting over shoulder and Chelsea perched on her lap. But what caught Brooke's eye was the delicate tiara resting on Chelsea's dark hair…

_Chelsea spun around the room in her purple party dress. "I look so pretty!" she exclaimed, admiring her reflection in the mirror. _

"_Hold on, sweetheart," Brooke said, laughing as she caught the spinning child. "I've got one more thing for you to wear."_

_Chelsea gasped as Brooke held out a sparkling tiara. "For me?" she whispered. _

"_For you," Brooke confirmed, placing the dainty crown on top of the little girl's head. "Because today we're celebrating that you are my little Princess, forever and ever."_

As Brooke remembered how Chelsea had thrown her arms around her neck at those words, she smiled, and knew exactly what story to tell. She snuggled Chelsea close to her chest and began to softly weave her tale.

**Once upon a time, there was a beautiful Queen who lived in a castle by the sea. The Queen ruled over a grand kingdom that spanned thousands of miles. She had all the riches anyone could ever dream of, and her talent and beauty were praised from every corner of the kingdom.**

**But despite all of her wealth, the Queen was not happy. By day, she would smile and serve her subjects with compassion. But every night, she would walk the halls of her grand palace, and feel heartache worse than anyone could imagine. The Queen was sad because she had many beautiful rooms in the palace, but they all stood empty. The Queen prayed every night that she would be blessed with many Princes and Princesses to fill the rooms of her palace with laughter and her heart with joy.**

**One evening, as the Queen sat in her grand castle, a message came from one of her subjects. A lost girl had been found, wandering cold and alone through the world, with no one to love her. While the Queen was sad that someone so young had lived through so much pain, her heart swelled with joy, and she hoped beyond all hopes that this lost girl could be the Princess she had waited for.**

**The Queen spent days preparing a perfect room for the new Princess. She filled the closets with beautiful dresses of silk and satin, and adorned the room with all sorts of golden trinkets and lovely jewels. But when the young girl arrived, she scorned the gorgeous clothes, and insisted on wearing the rags she had brought from her old life. The Queen tried as hard as she could to win the Princess over with gifts, but the Princess grew more distant each day.**

**One night, the Princess tried to escape the castle, which terrified the Queen so much that she punished the Princess. As soon as she had done it, the Queen grew even more frightened, for she was afraid that the Princess would insist on leaving the kingdom forever. But the next day, the Princess surprised the Queen by embracing her willingly for the first time. It was then the Queen realized that the princess didn't want gold or jewels, but a mother's love. **

**As the weeks went by, the Queen and the Princess grew closer and closer. The Queen did not believe that she could love anyone else as much as her beautiful Princess. But sometimes, after she had tucked the Princess into bed, she would wander the halls as she had in the past, and wish that she could fill more of the empty palace rooms. **

**One day, the Queen received an urgent message from one of her knights. An evil lord in the next kingdom had been holding a tiny Princess hostage. A great battle had taken place, but the knight and his comrades were able to rescue the small girl. The Queen commanded that the little Princess be brought to her at once. The knights obeyed, and the little girl arrived at the castle the next day. **

**Although she was the most beautiful child the Queen had ever seen, the Queen was sad, for the little Princess did not speak. She was shy around the Queen and the older Princess, and the Queen was worried that she would never see the small girl smile or hear the sound of her beautiful voice. But every night, the Queen would tuck the little Princess into bed and say to her "I love you to the top of the sky and the bottom of the sea". And one night, the little Princess replied to the Queen, "I love you more, Mama." And the Queen cried the happiest tears she had ever cried in her life, for she finally had the Princesses she had longed for.**

"The End," Brooke finished, leaning back somewhat triumphantly on her pillow. Her boyfriend clearly was not the only good storyteller in Tree Hill.

"Mama?" Chelsea asked, her eyes flickering as she tried to fight sleep. "Do you love me even when I'm bad?"

Brooke smiled and brushed a lock of Chelsea's hair away from her face. "I love you even when you eat an entire tube of cookie dough before dinner," she said, shaking her head as she thought back to Chelsea's first real spanking.

"Do you love me even when I'm sick?"

"I love you even when you've got a fever and red spots all over you," Brooke assured her, gently caressing said spots on the little girl's arm.

"How much do you love me?"

"I love you to the top of the sky and the bottom of the sea," Brooke said softly. "Don't you know that by now, Princess?"

"I know," Chelsea said with a sigh, finally allowing her eyes to close all the way. "But I still love you more."

Even as a tear crept to Brooke's eye, she shook her head emphatically. "That's not possible, Sweetheart," she whispered, closing her eyes as well.

**I think I write snarky Sam better, but writing cuddly Chelsea is such a treat. Coming up next…? I've got several plot ideas that I've written down, it's just a question of which one I decide to use first. If any of my loyal readers have any requests, please feel free to let me know! I can't promise I'll deliver, but if you want to see Brucas, Sam and Mitchell, Sam in trouble, Chelsea in trouble, Mama/daughter love, flashbacks, etc., let me know, and I'll examine my trove of plots. Please read and review, and thanks for sticking with me!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Wow. I cannot even begin to describe how happy I was to read all of your responses to my author's note-what a great Christmas present! I'm so glad to know that not only are you all sticking with this story, but that you care enough to take the time to let me know how much you're enjoying it. As long as I have such loyal readers out there, this story will continue for quite some time. I've always said I have an end goal for the story in mind, and right now, I think it would take me at least 15 more chapters to reach that goal, but probably more if I keep the creative juices flowing. The updates are still going to be way too slow for your liking (and mine), but I will do my best to try for maybe one chapter a month? That's not a promise, just a goal. My schedule is less stringent than last semester, but law school is no lazy day at the park no matter how you slice it. Without further ado, it is still the 26****th**** on the West Coast, so I DID keep my promise and post the day after Christmas. Enjoy!**

Sam was trying hard to feel bad for her little sister, but she was finding it a bit of a challenge, since Chelsea's sudden case of the chicken pox meant that she got to be spoiled by her Aunt Karen. The pair had spent the morning and afternoon getting lost in the mall, where Karen had treated her surrogate grandchild to a manicure and a couple of brand new outfits. Sam had protested halfheartedly after the second outfit that Brooke might get mad if Karen bought her so much stuff, but Karen had raised her eyebrow and stated that she could handle Brooke. She would simply remind her that when she was in high school, she had gone on three shopping sprees a week and had managed to turn out just fine. Sam was satisfied with this and allowed Karen to purchase her a new pair of shoes before they headed home.

"Mmm…" Sam sighed contentedly, pushing her plate away from her. "Aunt Karen, you make way better pizza than Domino's."

"Well, I'm glad to know that my culinary studies in Italy didn't go to waste," Karen said with an amused smile. "Now, how about some dessert while we watch a movie? I've got Double Stuffed Oreos, stuff for hot fudge sundaes, cupcakes…"

"Ugh, no," Sam groaned, shaking her head for emphasis. "If I eat one more bite, I'm never going to fit into that cute miniskirt you bought me. Speaking of, do not forget to talk to Mom and tell her you said it was okay."

"I won't," Karen promised. "Well, let's get these dishes into the dishwasher and go collapse on the couch for a while. Maybe you'll feel up for some ice cream later."

Sam obligingly carried her pizza plate and soda glass over to the dishwasher, and before long, she and Karen were snuggled under a large afghan on the couch.

"So which movie is it going to be?" Karen asked, shuffling through the DVDs from Family Video. "I got all three of those Twilight movies. I don't know how you stomach them, but I will suffer through one if I must."

"Don't make fun of me," Sam chided with a frown. "I know they're horrible, but they're so addicting. If it's going to bug you, though, we don't have to watch anything."

"I was just teasing, Sam," Karen assured her. "We can watch whatever you'd like."

"Nah, you'll just roll your eyes through half of it anyway," Sam said with a shrug.

"Well, then, what would you like to do? Play a board game?"

"Could you maybe…could you tell me a story?" Sam asked hopefully.

Karen raised her eyebrows at the odd request from the fifteen year old. "A story? What kind of story?"

"A story about my Mom," Sam said, crossing her legs and turning towards Karen. "And maybe about Uncle Lucas, too. They're always picking on each other about all the stuff they did in high school. It would be fun to blackmail them with it."

"Ah, so you want a story about your Mom getting in trouble, hm?" Karen clarified.

"And Uncle Lucas," Sam said with a grin. "Next time I get in trouble with one of them, it'd be nice to have some ammo to throw back when they're yelling at me."

Karen's brow furrowed slightly. "So does this mean you're okay with getting in trouble with Lucas now?" she asked. It had only been a few weeks since Sam's meltdown at the Sparkle Classic.

Sam blushed, realizing that she had unintentionally opened a door she wasn't sure she wanted to enter. "I don't really know yet," she confessed. "I haven't done anything to get in trouble with him-or Mom-since the Classic. Actually, I think it's a record," she said, somewhat proudly. "I'm definitely not okay with him punishing me yet, but I'm okay with him being around more and helping to take care of us. I've never had a Dad, but I think he'd be a pretty good one."

"Well, he did learn to be a parent from the best," Karen said, holding her chin up with a haughty smile. Sam giggled, knowing her aunt was kidding. "He loves you and Chelsea very much, and if Brooke and he decide to get married, something tells me Brooke will still be the strict one."

"You got that right," Sam said ruefully. "But she's so strict because she did a bunch of really dumb stuff growing up, right?" she added pointedly, wanting to get on to the juicy stuff.

Karen laughed and turned towards Sam, mimicking the girl's Indian style sitting position. "Let's see, a story about your Mom and Lucas getting in trouble," she mused. "Would it be too soon given the circumstances for a story about me catching them in bed together?"

"No, it would not," Sam said eagerly. "They promised not to overreact again about me and Mitchell, but in case they do, it'd be nice to have a fallback plan. Just no gory details, please," she added quickly.

"I was fortunate enough not to see any of the gory details myself," Karen said, shaking her head. "But I caught enough to realize that something had gone on under my roof that I did not approve of. I guess it was about three months after Brooke moved in: Lucas's Uncle Keith and I had just come home after I closed the café early, and I went to see if either of the kids needed homework help. When I opened the door to Brooke's room, I discovered that they were helping each other study for biology class. More specifically, the anatomy section."

"Ew, Aunt Karen!" Sam complained, putting her hands over her ears. "I said no details!"

Karen chuckled and removed Sam's hands from her ears. "That's the worst of it, I promise. Anyways, being a former teenage pregnancy statistic, I was…displeased with the two of them, to say the least. I'm pretty sure my displeasure was heard the next block over, in fact. Keith came in to see what the matter was when he heard me yelling. The two of us didn't even have to speak to each other to know our next move. He grabbed Lucas with one arm and started taking his belt off with the other, dragging Lucas to my bedroom while he was doing it. Meanwhile, your Mom and I had a very long, very painful conversation with a wooden hairbrush."

"Ouch," Sam winced. "Mom's never used any of that stuff on me. She's threatened, but I never thought she'd actually do it."

"I imagine she won't, unless you do something completely inexcusable," Karen assured her. "Don't forget, I'd been lecturing Lucas about premarital sex since he was ten, and I told Brooke when she moved in that my number one rule was no boys in the bedroom. Since I had probably had to punish her about a dozen times since she moved in for one thing or another, I decided I needed something a little stronger to make sure she never broke this particular rule again."

"No wonder she turned into a prude," Sam said bluntly.

"Samantha," Karen chided, slapping her knee gently. "Brooke isn't a prude. She just takes her role as a mother very seriously, just like I do."

"I'm glad that my Mom had you as her fill-in mom," Sam said, snuggling into Karen.

"I'm glad I got to be her fill-in mom," Karen replied, squeezing Sam's shoulder. "I'm glad I got to be a fill-in mom to her, and to Haley, and to Peyton and Nathan too."

"What, did you need to have some good kids to round out troublemakers like Mom and Uncle Lucas?" Sam quipped.

"Hey, don't let the rest of them fool you," Karen said with a chuckle. "If I recall, I had to take every one of your aunts and uncles in hand at one point or another."

"Yeah right," Sam snorted. "You're telling me Aunt Haley actually did something wrong?"

Karen shrugged nonchalantly. "Depends on if you find cheating on a test wrong."

Sam's eyebrows nearly disappeared beneath her hairline. "Aunt Haley _cheated_?!" she practically shouted. "That is so unfair! After she sp…" her voice trailed off.

"After she what?" Karen asked quizzically.

Sam growled in frustration. "Last year, Aunt Haley was monitoring study hall, and she caught me trying to download an English paper for _The Catcher in the Rye _off the internet. I wasn't going to turn it in," Sam said quickly, noticing the frown of disapproval on Karen's face. "But I didn't really like the book and I was having a hard time figuring out what to write about, so I was just going to use it as a…"

"Cheat sheet?" Karen interjected, raising her eyebrow in amusement.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Don't lecture me, Aunt Karen. Aunt Haley dragged me off to her classroom and whacked me with that stupid paddle she has-the one she never uses on anyone else, even though she's allowed to-and then she called Mom and tattled on me. Both of them lectured me for a whole hour after I got home. I was grounded for a week, and I didn't even finish downloading the paper!"

Karen had to smile at the presently growing pout on Sam's face. Clearly the girl still felt that some injustice had been done, and Karen wasn't going to pick a fight over it. "Well, your Aunt Haley's feelings about cheating are partially my fault. When she was your age, she cheated on a geometry test she hadn't found time to study for. It was probably the one deceitful thing she ever did in high school, and she felt so guilty about it that she blurted it out to me while we were closing up the café one night."

"You mean she didn't even get caught and she confessed?" Sam groaned, rolling her eyes again. "What a goody-two-shoes."

"You are right about that," Karen chuckled. "I told her she needed to tell her parents and the teacher, but she said she couldn't bear to disappoint them. She practically begged me to punish her instead, and finally I agreed. She was a little reluctant when I told her a spanking was the only thing that would suffice instead of telling her parents, but the guilt finally got to her."

"She _asked _you to spank her?" Sam said incredulously. "I always knew she was the weird one."

"Yes, she was always sort of an oddball in the group," Karen said fondly. "She's the only one who never did anything that made me completely furious."

"What about Aunt Peyton?" Sam asked, completely fascinated by the turn this conversation had taken. "What did she ever do to make you mad?"

Karen sighed, drawing her knees into her chest before she began. "Right after Tric opened, I found out that your Aunt Peyton had been involved with some guys who did drugs. She had let them into the club one night, knowing that they would be doing drugs in the building. When I confronted her about it, she broke down and admitted that she had experimented with cocaine."

"_Cocaine?_" Sam squeaked, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Karen nodded soberly. "You know, her Dad was hardly ever around when she was in high school. Peyton was pretty much raising herself, and between the death of her mom and all that moody punk music she listened to, I think she felt pretty lonely most of the time. Unfortunately, someone convinced her she could fill the loneliness with drugs."

Sam bit her lip. "No wonder she got so mad at me," she said softly.

"Got mad at you for what?" Karen asked.

"Okay, don't get mad, because everyone else knows about it and I already got into tons of trouble," Sam said. "But last year, I bought a joint off some guy at school, and…"

"You did what, young lady?" Karen questioned, unable to prevent a hint of sternness from coming into her voice.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it right now," Sam said uncomfortably. "Believe me, Mom more than punished me for it. But when she found the joint in my backpack, Aunt Peyton was with her, and she went ballistic. It was kind of scary, actually. I think if she had found it and Mom hadn't been there, she would have spanked me herself. What was weird was that Mom kind of waited until Aunt Peyton was done yelling at me before she started."

"Well, your Mom never really experimented with drugs, but Peyton knew firsthand the damage they could cause," Karen said, reaching out and taking Sam's hand. "Both of her biological parents were drug addicts, and if I hadn't found out about the cocaine when I had, Peyton might have become addicted herself."

"What did you do to her?" Sam whispered.

"She was crying before she'd even finished telling me the whole story," Karen recalled. "Part of me wanted to just hold her in my arms like she was a little girl, but the other part was so angry at her for taking such a huge risk. I didn't even tell her what I was going to do; I just put my arm around her shoulder, led her to the back room at Tric, and took her over my knee. I think it was the first time I've ever handed out a spanking where the recipient didn't even try to fight me. She was so lost and scared…she was like a little girl, really. A little girl who had been left alone with no one to take care of her. After we were done, she threw her arms around my neck and sobbed. We talked for hours that night, and after that, I made sure to check on her at least three times a week. I sometimes think she needed a mother even more than Brooke."

"Wow," Sam breathed, blown away by the tale she had just heard. Aunt Peyton had always seemed so cool and tough; it was hard to think of her as vulnerable. Sam blinked back tears, wishing for the millionth time that Peyton was still here for her to talk to. She hurriedly wiped her eyes and tried to think of a way to change the subject. "So wait, you said all my aunts and uncles. I thought Uncle Nathan didn't like you and Uncle Lucas in high school?" she blurted out. Karen smiled gently, knowing that the pain of Peyton's death was still raw to those who loved her.

"Well, he didn't at first," Karen confirmed, willingly changing course in the conversation. "But once he and Lucas put their differences aside, I think Nathan started to realize what he was missing in life. He had all the material things he could ask for, but neither of his parents did much to show their affection. That's why Haley was so good for him. She loved him unconditionally. When she left, it broke his heart."

"What do you mean, left?" Sam asked, wrinkling her nose in confusion. "Where did she go?"

"You know Haley went on tour while she was in high school, right?" Karen asked. Receiving a nod of affirmation, she continued. "Well, she got the offer to tour shortly after she and Nathan had gotten married. Long story short, she left without saying goodbye to Nathan or giving him any indication that she was coming back. For a while, he was pretty sure that she wasn't coming back."

"I never knew that," Sam said, feeling a little taken aback by the news. She had never wondered about the details surrounding Haley's rock tour. Haley and Nathan had always seemed like the perfect couple in her eyes. It had never occurred to her that they might have faced marital problems in the past.

"Neither of them like to talk about much," Karen said with a sad smile. "Anyway, Nathan was completely broken up when she left. Eventually, he turned to alcohol to soothe his emotions. He kept it hidden for a while, but it all became evident when he showed up to one of his classes with a six-pack."

"He brought beer? To school?" Sam deadpanned. She didn't know why she was surprised, since apparently she knew nothing about anyone in her family, but still-who the heck brought beer to school?

"He did indeed," Karen said ruefully. "The school contacted his parents, but both of them were so wrapped up in their own problems that they didn't do anything about it. Lucas had seen him at school with the beer, and he expressed his concern to me later that night. I finally decided that Nathan needed a little bit of tough love to put him on the right track."

"So…he just let you punish him?" Sam asked. "I mean, the others I get, cause you're Lucas's mom and the other three are smaller, but…Nathan could have taken you."

Karen snorted. "Your Uncle Nathan may not have had the best upbringing, but he was taught better than to hit a woman," she replied. "And it did take some convincing that punishment was what he needed…it helped that he was hungover by the time I got to him. But deep down, I think what Nathan needed more than anything else was to feel loved, and I gave him that, just for a minute. And I did tell Haley when she came back that if she ever did anything to hurt him like that again, she would be the one taking a spanking."

When Sam didn't reply, Karen leaned over and put her arm around her. "So, have I given you enough blackmail for one evening?" she asked jokingly.

Sam looked up at the older woman. "Dude, this will last me at least until senior year," Sam said, giving Karen a sly grin.

"Well, just make sure you save it for when you actually need it," Karen warned. "I don't want them knowing I told you all of this stuff. This is our little secret, young lady, do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am, Grandma," Sam said with a salute. When Karen raised her eyebrows questioningly, Sam gave her a grin. "Just wanted to try it out. You know, just in case Mom and Lucas do get married. You were such a good Mom to everybody, maybe you'd be a good Grandma to me."

"Sweetheart, I would be proud to have you and Chelsea as my grandchildren," Karen said, standing to her feet and pulling Sam up by the hand. "But call me an old lady name like 'Grandma' again, and you will have firsthand knowledge of just how hard I spanked all of your aunts and uncles."

"Noted, Aunt Karen," Sam said sheepishly. "Okay, I'm hungry now. Can we get Oreos and watch New Moon?"

"Oh, how I've missed having teenagers in the house," Karen said sarcastically, wrapping her arm around Sam and leading her into the kitchen.

**I may have taken a few liberties with canon events, but I was so focused on getting the chapter out that I didn't have time to double check everything. Coming up next: it's Valentine's Day in Tree Hill! Brooke and Lucas have a romantic night out, while Mitchell and Sam have a not-so-romantic night in baby-sitting Chelsea and Sawyer. I haven't really thought out how the evening is going to go yet, so let me know if there are any requests: bratty Chelsea, Sawyer puking on Mitchell, etc. Just no proposals-we're not at that point yet! Please keep those amazing reviews coming, and thanks for reading!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Hey guys! Finally had the free time this weekend to get this baby cranked out, so here it is! But before you read, a little housekeeping business regarding the plagiarism issue from a few weeks ago. I would like to thank the readers who informed me that my story was being posted on another site…I never would have figured it out for myself, and I really appreciate you guys having my back like that. From talking to the poster, it seems that she was trying to share my story, not take credit for it, and things got lost in translation. Just a side note on that, if you ever want to share my work or play with the original characters, that's fine. Just make sure you ASK me first. That's your general fanfiction etiquette…ask the author before posting anything related to their work.**

**I would also like to thank everyone for sending me messages of support when I was upset about the plagiarism and helping me get the story taken down…it's nice to know you have an army of rabid fans ready to come to your defense :) HOWEVER, it has come to my attention that some of you were a little overzealous when asking the other author to take the story down. In fact, I believe some of you were crossing the line into cyber bulling (name calling, accusing her of stealing other stories from me, etc). I am so grateful for all my readers and so happy that I've created a story that you feel so passionately about. But cyber bullying is never, ever acceptable, and I was not happy to hear that it was going on. So again, thank you for rising to my defense, but please remember that behind the usernames and avatars, there are real people who make mistakes, and verbally attacking them is never ok. My name is Sasha Snape, and I approve this message. On that note, enjoy this latest chapter!**

"We will pass and we will score and you will beat us nevermore!" Sam finished the standard Tree Hill cheer with a high kick, glancing over at the practicing basketball team to see if Mitchell was watching. He grinned from his place underneath the basketball hoop, where Lucas and Nathan had the boys running layup drills.

"Alright ladies, nice job!" Angela called. "Five minute water break, then we'll run through Friday's halftime routine."

"Hey Love Struck," Lucy said, elbowing Sam in the side. "Keep your eyes off your guy for half a second, would you? That last kick was dangerously close to my head."

"Sorry," Sam apologized, blushing a little. "It's just…he told me last week that my high kick is really sexy. I wanted to make sure he was watching."

"Not gonna lie, that's a little creepy that he watches your high kicks intently, but whatever floats your boat," Lucy said, shaking her head and smiling. "So do you and Mr. High Kick have any special plans for the big day?"

"What big day?" Sam asked in confusion.

"Okay seriously? You must be the only high school girl on the planet who hasn't realized that Saturday is Valentine's Day. Having a boyfriend is seriously wasted on you," Lucy said with a sigh.

"Oh right," Sam said. "Yeah, I knew it was coming. We haven't planned anything…things have been a little quiet on the formal dating front since…yeah. And I dunno, just the whole idea of Valentine's Day always seemed a little weird to me. Like, one day out of the year to tell a person you love them? Not to mention all the pink cards and crappy candy."

"Hold up," Lucy said, dropping her pom poms to the floor and putting her hands on her hips. "Forget the crappy candy. What is this love business you're talking about? Have you guys like…gone there yet?"

"No," Sam said quickly, blushing even more. "I mean, I haven't said it…I don't even know if I…I just don't know."

"Hey, you don't have to know yet," Lucy replied, placing a comforting hand on her friend's arm. "We're in high school. We're supposed to be naïve. But the second you do decide to tell him, I demand we have a sleepover so you can give me all the dirty details."

Sam rolled her eyes as the pair headed off to grab some water. "Now who's the creepy one?"

Practice ended at the same time for both the cheerleaders and the basketball players. "Hey Mitch," Lucas said, placing a hand on Mitchell's shoulder as the boy headed for the locker room. "You mind grabbing Sam and bringing her by my office in five? I need to talk to the two of you."

Mitchell visibly blanched at his coach's request. Since the incident at the Sparkle Classic, Lucas had been respectful of Sam and Mitchell's relationship, even smiling at them when he passed the two of them talking in the hallway at school. But maybe he and Sam's secret glances during practice hadn't been as secret as he'd hoped.

"Calm down, kid," Lucas said, chuckling outwardly but secretly feeling a bit proud that he still managed to scare the boy a little. "I just needed to ask the two of you a favor. Nobody's in trouble."

"Cool," Mitchell said, trying to act nonchalant but barely hiding his deep sigh of relief. "Sure thing, Coach."

Five minutes later, Lucas looked up from some stat sheets at the two teens entering his office. "Hey guys. You can sit down if you want."

Sam plopped herself down on one of the folding chairs in front of Lucas's desk and folded her arms across her chest. Lucas had been very well-behaved since the Classic, but she was still on her guard where Mitchell was concerned. "What's up?" she asked suspiciously.

"Have you guys made any plans for Valentine's Day?"

"Excuse me?" Sam asked, her eyes widening incredulously. "What the hell does it matter if we do or don't?"

"Hey, watch your mouth, young lady," Lucas reprimanded her, but his tone was light, not scolding. "I wasn't asking because I was prying. I was hoping to take your mother out for a romantic dinner on Saturday, and someone is going to need to baby-sit for Sawyer and Chelsea."

"You want me to baby-sit on Valentine's Day? Is this some passive aggressive move to try and keep us apart?"

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Samantha, could you please give me a little more credit? I have been trying, you know." Sam dropped her arms from her chest with a sigh and nodded in reluctant acknowledgment. "I was hoping that both of you would be willing to baby-sit. Sawyer's starting to crawl, so she needs constant supervision, and I would feel better if there were two people in charge. I was thinking as payment, I could give you guys some money and you could order out from wherever you want, and after the kiddos go to bed, you can have dinner for two."

"That's…actually a really cool idea," Mitchell said, unable to mask the surprise in his voice.

"Well, I do have them occasionally," Lucas said drily. "How about it, Sammi girl? You get a free dinner with your boyfriend and I get to rest easy knowing all three of my girls are safe at home?"

Sam stared at him with a half-smile on her face. "You seriously trust us alone together?"

"Of course. Especially now that I've installed all those hidden cameras," Lucas said nonchalantly. The look of horror on Sam's face caused him to break into a wide grin. "I'm kidding. Yes, I trust you."

Sam shared a look with Mitchell before getting up and coming around the desk. "Thank you," she said, hugging Lucas tightly around the neck.

"You're welcome," Lucas said, patting her on the back. "Now get out of here. You know your mother worries if you're home late."

"Yes Dad," Sam said sarcastically, skipping off and leading Mitchell out of the office by the arm. But the sarcasm in her voice didn't matter to Lucas; he closed his eyes briefly as he relished the sound of that word: Dad.

Four days later, Sam was rifling through her mother's closet, while Chelsea was bouncing on Brooke's bed watching her get dressed.

"Chelsea Lynn, if you damage that box spring, I'm going to damage your bottom, little girl," Brooke warned as she placed the back on one of her diamond solitaire earrings.

"Yes Mama," Chelsea said, heaving a large sigh as she stopped her bouncing.

Sam turned around from the tops she was sorting through and laughed at the woeful look on her little sister's face. "We can jump on the bed after Mom leaves," she whispered conspiratorially.

"I heard that, young lady," Brooke said, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "And let me state for the record that if I come home and any furniture is broken, both of you are going to pay the price. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mom," Sam replied, mimicking her mother's eye roll. "Hey, can I wear this tonight?" she asked, pulling out a short red strapless mini-dress.

Brooke looked at her incredulously. "Okay, let's pretend for a minute that that dress isn't utterly inappropriate for a girl your age," she said, placing one hand on her hip and resting the other on her dresser. "I expect you to actually take care of your sister and Sawyer tonight. That means you will have to get down on the floor and play with them. That means you will have to feed Sawyer her bottle and change her diapers. Do any of those activities sound like things you should be doing while wearing a silk dress?"

"Fine," Sam said exasperatedly, hanging the dress back in the closet with a pout. "But if you think the dress is so inappropriate for me, aren't you setting a bad example by wearing it yourself?"

Brooke opened her mouth to retort, but stopped when she realized Sam had a point. "If you stop being such a smart-alec, you can wear the red wrap top near the back of the closet," she said finally.

Sam smirked, knowing she had caught her mom, but she happily accepted the offer of the top. "Do you think I should wear it with skinny jeans or my denim skirt?" she asked Brooke, holding the shirt up to her chest.

"Definitely your black skinny jeans," Brooke said, refocusing on her own ensemble as Sam skipped off to her room, top in hand. She had just finished dabbing some perfume on her neck when the doorbell rang.

"Oh shoot, I still have to fix my eyeliner," she grumbled, glancing at the clock. Lucas had known her for almost ten years; why in the heck would he think she'd be ready early?

"Chelsea, baby," Brooke said, turning to her youngest daughter. "Can you answer the door please? Remember to ask who it is first and only open it if it's Uncle Lucas or Mitchell."

"Okay Mama," Chelsea said agreeably, jumping off the bed and dashing out the door.

It turned out that Lucas did know Brooke well enough to know she wouldn't be ready on time. Mitchell was the one who had arrived early, sending Sam into an absolute state of panic because she wasn't dressed yet and hadn't even considered her make-up. Fortunately, Brooke was done with her eyeliner in a jiffy, and was able to help her teenage daughter make herself presentable. Chelsea, for her part, was delighted to show Mitchell all the ins and outs of her Barbie Dream House.

Sam came clattering down the stairs, Brooke close behind her, when the doorbell rang for a second time.

"Hey!" Sam beamed at Mitchell, while Brooke opened the door and reached out to grab a diaper bag from Lucas before he dropped it.

"Luke, what in the world is all this?" Brooke asked, staring confusedly at the two diaper bags and portable crib. "Did you make our dinner reservations in Paris? Because it looks like you packed enough stuff for Sawyer to stay for a week."

"Sorry," Lucas said, blushing slightly as he set Sawyer down in her baby carrier. "I just…you know, the kids haven't baby-sat before. I wanted to make sure they had everything they need."

"We'll be fine," Sam assured him, coming over to coo at Sawyer. Lucas smiled down at her before looking up and noticing Mitchell, who was currently crouched next to Barbie's Dream House with a half-dressed Ken doll in his hand.

"Didn't realize you had such versatile interests outside of basketball, Mitch," Lucas said drily, causing the teenage boy to turn beet red.

Sam was about to shove him the leg for teasing her boyfriend, but before she could reach for him, Chelsea piped up. "He's not as fun to play dollies with as you, Uncle Lucas," she chirped. "He doesn't do good voices like you."

Brooke and Sam both laughed as Lucas's face turned redder than Mitchell's. "You totally deserved that," Brooke said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

Lucas grumbled and returned the kiss before looking back to Mitchell. "What happens in this house stays in this house. Deal?"

"You got it, Coach," Mitchell said, trying hard not to crack up at the thought of tough Lucas Scott dressing up Barbie dolls.

"Alright, kids," Brooke said, allowing Lucas to help her into her coat. "We both have our cell phones, and all the emergency numbers are on the fridge. There's leftover macaroni and cheese in the fridge for Chelsea, and chocolate ice cream for dessert if she behaves. Chelsea, your bedtime is 8:30 tonight, but tomorrow you can stay up late with Mama and Sam and watch a movie."

"Okay, Mama," Chelsea called as she tried desperately to jam Barbie's foot into a high heeled shoe.

"As promised, here is enough to pay for a nice dinner for two," Lucas said, handing Sam a wad of bills. "The baby formula is in the blue diaper bag. Sawyer just ate, but she'll be ready for another bottle at 7:30, and then you can put her to bed. Do you remember how to set up the crib?"

"I think we can manage," Sam assured him, unstrapping Sawyer and nestling her into her shoulder.

"Of course you can," Brooke said, reaching out to pat Sawyer on the back. "We will be home by 10:30 at the latest. Remember: no boys in your bedroom."

"Mom!" Sam hissed, blushing as she looked over at Mitchell. Fortunately, her boyfriend was helping Chelsea with the Barbie shoes and wasn't listening.

Brooke laughed and gave Sam a kiss on the cheek. "Shall we, boyfriend?" she asked coyly, holding her hand out. Lucas accepted the proffered appendage and kissed it gently before leading Brooke out of the door.

Sam gave a sigh of relief and looked at Sawyer. "And they're just going to get worse as they get older," she said seriously. Sawyer looked back at her and responded with a sneeze, causing Sam to laugh and rub her back.

"Chelsea!" she barked, heading over into the living room. "Quit tormenting my boyfriend with Barbie Dolls!"

"But Sissy!" Chelsea whined. "Mitchell likes playing with me. Don't you, Mitchell?" she asked sweetly.

Mitchell flushed once again as he looked in between the two Davis girls. "Uh…well…" he stuttered.

"Tell you what, midget," Sam said, transferring Sawyer to her hip. "How about I make you your macaroni and cheese, and Mitchell can set up a movie for you? Then we can all watch it together, and if you don't bug us and make Mitchell play girly stuff, I'll give you extra ice cream. Deal?

"Deal!" Chelsea said happily. Sam winked conspiratorially at her boyfriend; she knew her little sister could always be bought with ice cream.

"Alright then. You pick out a movie, and your dinner will be ready soon. Mitch, can you take the baby while I get stuff ready?"

Mitchell held out his arms and awkwardly accepted Sawyer from his girlfriend, causing her to laugh. "Dude, she's not made of glass. She won't break. Just hold her," Sam said, walking into the kitchen.

"Hey, I know how protective Coach Scott is of you," Mitchell called to her retreating back. "Imagine what he'd do to me if anything happened to his actual kid."

Chelsea tugged on Mitch's shirt sleeve. "Which one do you want to watch, Mitchell?" she asked, showing him copies of _Cinderella, Mulan, _and _Lilo and Stitch_.

"Definitely _Lilo and Stitch," _Mitchell responded immediately. He would do anything for Sam and her sister, but he was glad that he wasn't going to have to sit through a Princess Movie or continue playing with Barbies.

"Good choice," Sam called from the kitchen. "Lilo's my favorite."

"I can see why," Mitchell replied, as Chelsea went to jam the movie into the dvd player. "She's sweet and sassy, just like you." Sam gave him a giddy smile and continued to fix dinner.

Meanwhile, at the fancy French restaurant Brooke and Lucas had gone to, the former sat perusing her menu while the latter was in the restroom. She was debating between Coq au Vin and Stuffed Crepes when she felt something delicate fall against her chest.

"Happy Valentine's Day," Lucas whispered in her ear, fastening the necklace and giving her a kiss on the neck before sitting down. Brooke looked down and fingered the silver heart inlaid with two bright aquamarines.

"I was going to get you something red, but I remembered both of the girls have March birthdays, so I thought you'd like something with their birthstone," Lucas said with a nervous smile. "Do you like it?"

"It's perfect," Brooke breathed. "A wonderful reminder that I have two perfect daughters and a perfect man."

"Your man is not nearly as perfect as my woman, Pretty Girl," Lucas said coyly, reaching out to take her hand. Brooke gave it a squeeze and stared at him happily for a moment before reaching back for her purse.

"What've you got there?" Lucas asked curiously.

"What kind of girlfriend would I be if I let you spoil me with jewelry and didn't even get you a card?" Brooke asked, handing him a flat envelope. Lucas looked confused as he opened it; it looked more like a letter envelope than a card.

"A plane ticket to Orlando?" he asked, examining the contents. "You trying to get rid of me?" he joked.

"Hardly," Brooke said, reaching out for his hand again. "As you just pointed out, the girls both have birthdays coming up, and all of you have spring break around the same time. I haven't taken them on a real family vacation yet, so I decided to surprise them with a trip to Disney World."

"Chelsea will go ballistic," Lucas said with a chuckle. "Sam will too, even though she'll try to hide it."

"You're right about that," Brooke agreed. "Anyway, I thought about it, and I decided that no family vacation would be complete without you and Sawyer. So…will you come with us?"

Lucas felt his breath catch in his chest as he realized what Brooke was implying. "You're really ready to take that step?" he asked her softly. "Including me and Sawyer as part of the family?"

"I think I've been ready since I was 16 years old," Brooke replied quietly, looking deep into his eyes. The two continued to stare, getting lost in each other's gaze, until their waiter walked up and cleared his throat.

Back at the Davis residence, things were not quite so perfect. Although Chelsea had been surprisingly cooperative all evening and was currently brushing her teeth, Sawyer had not been quite as well-behaved. After chivalrously offering to feed the baby while Sam and Chelsea gorged themselves on ice cream, Mitchell soon found himself regretting his offer when Sawyer promptly spit up all over his shoulder. Chelsea had burst into giggles, and Sam had been close to joining her before she saw Mitchell's mortified face. She had temporarily cleaned him off, but his shirt was starting to smell by the time they got Sawyer to bed, so they went in search of something else.

"Here, put this on," Sam said, tossing Mitchell a t-shirt from Brooke's bottom drawer after rifling through it a moment.

"Ok, as badly as I want to get this baby puke stained shirt off of me, I really don't think I'm going to fit into your mom's t-shirt," Mitchell said warily.

Sam rolled her eyes. "It's Lucas's, dummy," she retorted, jumping back to her feet.

"Oh, cool," Mitchell said, stripping off his dirty shirt before stopping to stare at Sam incredulously. "Wait, Coach keeps his stuff over here? It's that serious?"

"Guess so," Sam said with a shrug, trying to remain calm as she focused in on Mitchell's chiseled abs. "Mom doesn't keep anything at his house, though. But I think they're in it for the long haul."

"You okay with that?" Mitchell asked, putting on Lucas's worn out Ravens shirt and covering his upper body, much to Sam's chagrin.

"Yeah, I think so," Sam said, following him out of the bedroom into the hallway. "He really has been trying hard to be less strict since the Classic, and he makes Mom so happy. It's making her a lot less strict, too."

"Good for us, I guess," Mitchell said, wiggling his eyebrows as Sam elbowed him in the side.

"Go downstairs and order the food," she commanded. "I've got to put Chels to bed."

"Yes, ma'am!" Mitchell said with a salute.

"And don't forget to ask for extra spring rolls!" she called after him.

Two hours later, Brooke and Lucas slipped quietly back into the house and found the two teens curled up together on the couch, surrounded by empty boxes of Thai food and completely immersed in The Dark Knight.

"Lucas, am I seeing things?" Brooke asked in mock surprise. "The house still standing, the little girls sound asleep, and the teenage couple behaving perfectly?"

"Probably…we did have a lot of wine," Lucas joked, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

"Ha freaking ha," Sam said drily, snuggling closer into Mitch's embrace.

"Hey, don't get too comfy," Brooke chided, coming to sit beside her daughter. "Mitchell, don't you have an 11:00 curfew?"

"Yes ma'am," Mitchell said grudgingly. "I guess I should call my dad."

"No worries, Mitch," Lucas said, lifting Sawyer gently from her crib and taking her to her carrier. "I can drop you off. It's not out of my way."

"Thanks Coach," Mitch said. He leaned over and gave Sam a quick kiss, blushing when he saw Brooke smiling at them. "I had a great time tonight," he said softly.

"Me too," Sam replied with a cheesy grin.

"Brooke, I'll call you tomorrow," Lucas called quietly as he hoisted Sawyer's carrier. "I love you."

"Love you too, babe," Brooke said, wrapping her arm around her daughter. As the two men courting the Davis women left the house, Lucas was overheard commenting that Mitchell's shirt looked incredibly familiar.

"So…you had a good time?" Brooke asked, stroking Sam's hair.

"Except for Sawyer puking all over Mitchell, everything went great," Sam said with a wry smile.

Brooke laughed. "Well, it looks like he handled it well…he certainly seemed to have enjoyed himself," she teased.

"Yeah, yeah. So, how'd your night go?" Sam asked, cuddling up to her mom. "I see you have a new accessory."

"I do indeed," Brooke said, lifting the pendant from her chest. "Pretty, isn't it?"

"It's gorgeous," Sam agreed. "What'd you get Uncle Lucas?"

"That, my darling girl, is a secret…for the time being," Brooke said, touching her forehead to her daughter's. Sam wrinkled her nose in confusion, but shrugged it off and settled in to finish watch The Dark Knight.

**Obviously, the next chapter and possibly the one after it will focus on the trip to Disney and the girls' birthdays. It's been far too long since Sam or Chelsea got into mischief, and as a former Disney employee, I know a million ways they can get in trouble at Disney! I have finals coming up yet again, so there definitely will not be an update before May. But the better the reviews I get, the faster I update…just saying :) Hope you guys liked it!**


	26. Author's Note

I know you all were expecting a chapter, and I truly wish I could give you one. My summer has been insanely busy. I've actually been working as a law clerk for an office that advocates for foster children, so I've been dealing directly with real kids like Sam and Chelsea. It's been really life changing in so many ways, but it's also kept me extremely occupied. Plus I'm entering my last year of law school, so I have pieces of the bar exam to take (one on Saturday actually), job hunt to complete, classes to prep for, etc. The good news is, I have the next chapter about halfway done. I never stop completely writing a story, I just jot things down when I have time and inspiration. I'm not going to give you a date when I'll update, because God knows I've failed at keeping to that in the past. But one day you're going to open your inbox and there will be a legitimate update on this story, I promise.

Unfortunately, once again, one reader has decided to be completely out of line and ruin things for all of you. If anything destroys my muse, it's people being rude and saying things that are totally uncalled for. Since the person opted to post under an anonymous name, I'll have to address my answer to all of you. As I have pointed out several times, I have an extremely busy schedule. Writing fanfiction is not my life. It is a hobby, and one that I mostly enjoy. However, it is very hard to find time to write, and I have multiple stories going on at once. So if one story is getting 30+ detailed reviews per chapter, and the other is getting 8 short reviews, which one do you think I'll be more inspired to update? Updating the story with more reviews doesn't make me needy, it makes me practical. Any writer on here knows that when people are enjoying your story with you, it makes you more inspired to write. How else will I know if people are actually enjoying the fact that I share my work with them? It's a direct correlation. I know that people are sometimes uncomfortable with reviewing, and that's their prerogative, but I have to have a way to balance everything, and this is it.

I really have some wonderful followers on this story who have stuck with me through plagiarism, personal tragedies, writer's block, etc., and I will not end this story until it is completed because of them, and because of my own personal love for the story. But another review telling me that I am needy or that I need to reorganize my priorities in life or anything equally insulting and this story will be completed way sooner than it should have been. Most of you know jack about my personal life, and therefore have no business commenting on it or how I choose to update. Annie, if you contact me again, it better be to apologize to me for being so rude to me. At least half of what you said was completely inappropriate.

Guys, I really am sorry that the story hasn't been updated in so long. I am working on it, but please remember that nagging me and being a jerk aren't going to make me update any faster. I love you all and I hope at least some of you are still looking forward to the next chapter. We're headed to Disney World!


	27. Chapter 27

**TaDa! See, I told you guys I'd get it posted. You've gotta have a little faith. And I know that most of you do based on the really sweet responses I got from a lot of you on my author's note. Other than the original reviewer and one troll (who I'm 90% certain were the same person), you all were really understanding of the fact that life just gets in the way sometimes, and other things take precedence over writing. Being a law student is hard work, and often when I have free time to write, I'm just too tired and need to relax from all the stress. But every so often I have a huge burst of inspiration and manage to crank out an update for all you lovely people. **

**And I hope everyone is clear now about why I mentioned reviews for this story in my profile. My dear friend Fanpire101 put this very well: writers ask for reviews because we want to know that there are people enjoying our work as much as we are. I know how this story ends. It's all in my head. I put it down on paper because many of you have told me how much you love it. But if I don't know that other people still love it and think I'm the only one that cares, there's no reason to keep writing it because I know what's going to happen. I don't need reviews to know that my story is good…I think it's good and I've gotten a lot of feedback affirming that I'm correct. I do need reviews to know that you want to see more. If people are still interested and actually tell me that, I will keep writing. So let's just all follow the "If you can't say anything nice, say nothing at all" rule and not leave nasty comments accusing me of having some kind of mental disorder. It's just tacky and not in any way related to the content of my story, which is what the review button is there for. **

**Alright, enough of that nonsense. Here's the next chapter at last! Enjoy!**

Quietly opening the door to her youngest daughter's bedroom, Brooke smiled as she approached the sleeping child. It was barely 6:00 am and Chelsea never appreciated getting up early, but Brooke was confident that once her little girl knew the reason for the early wake-up call, she would instantly become cheerful.

"Chelsea Lynn," Brooke said softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and smoothing Chelsea's tangled black hair away from her face. "Baby, you need to wake up. Mama has a surprise for you."

With her eyes still shut, Chelsea frowned deeply and rolled away from her mother. "Don't wanna wake up," she mumbled. "Go 'way, Mama."

Brooke's smile grew wider as she reached over and easily scooped the little girl up in her arms. She knew that if Chelsea was being difficult, Sam would be three times more difficult, so it was best to tell them both at once to save time. After all, they did have a schedule to keep. Fortunately, Chelsea didn't kick or whine when Brooke removed her from the safety of her blankets. She just heaved a deep, sleepy sigh and curled up into her mother's arms as she walked down the hall.

As she entered her eldest's room, Brooke rolled her eyes at Sam's sleeping form. She knew that Sam was limber from cheerleading, but how the child managed to twist herself into such odd, sprawled positions as she slept was beyond her. Somehow Brooke managed to find some space on the bed that wasn't overtaken by Sam's skinny arms and legs, and sat down with her precious bundle.

"Samantha," Brooke whispered, rubbing her daughter's back gently. "Wake up, sweetheart."

Sam cracked one eye open, though Brooke could barely see it as most of her face was smushed against her pillow. "It's still dark out," Sam groaned, her voice muffled by the pillow. "I don't have to get ready for school yet."

"You're not going to school today," Brooke said, continuing to rub Sam's back and stroke Chelsea's hair simultaneously. "We've got other plans."

"The only plan I have is to sleep for the next two hours," Sam retorted, yanking the blankets up to cover her head.

"Well, guess what. Your plans have changed to catching a plane in the next four hours," Brooke said patiently, peeling the blankets back from her daughter's face.

That caught Sam's interest; she had never been on a plane before and she definitely didn't know that she was supposed to be going on one today. "Plane? Why?" she said, propping herself up on her elbow and rubbing her eyes.

"That is for me to know and you and your sister to find out," Brooke said mischievously. She looked down at the curled up bundle of six year old and tickled her stomach lightly. "Baby girl, did you hear that? You and Mama and Sissy and Uncle Lucas and Sawyer are going on a plane today."

"Whatsa plane?" Chelsea asked, keeping her eyes shut and snuggling deeper into Brooke's arms.

"You know what a plane is," Sam said, poking her little sister in the foot. "We see planes in the sky all the time."

"And we're going to go up in the sky today and go visit somewhere extra special to celebrate you and Sissy's birthdays," Brooke explained.

Sam's eyes grew slightly panicked. "I thought I was getting to have a party with all my friends from school!" she said, her voice growing high pitched. She didn't mean to sound ungrateful about a vacation, but she had really been looking forward to her Sweet 16.

"You still are, Sam," Brooke soothed, patting her on the knee. "Both of you will have birthday parties when we get back from our trip. But this is a special celebration just for our family. A celebration we're going to miss if you two don't get ready. I packed just about everything I thought you'd need for a nine day trip, but you have a little time to check your bags and make sure I didn't miss anything. We're leaving for the airport in an hour, so get yourself dressed, check your luggage and head down for breakfast. I'm going to go take care of this little munchkin," she finished, standing up and hoisting Chelsea on her hip.

Sam was intrigued enough by the idea of a secret vacation that she was able to comply with Brooke's instructions in record time. Chelsea, on the other hand, was not nearly as eager, and it took a lot of effort on Brooke's part to get the little girl dressed and fed. By the time Lucas and Sawyer arrived, the three Davis women were all ready to go, though the youngest was still fast asleep in her mother's arms. Brooke was thankful for that, though, because the ride to the airport was long and Chelsea tended to get bored in the car. With the two little ones asleep, the car ride was very peaceful for the first fifteen minutes or so.

"Oh crap," Sam said suddenly, her sleepy eyes popping open as the family drove down the road. "Mitchell and I are supposed to go roller blading tomorrow. He's going to think I stood him up."

"Oh, he just asked you to go as a cover-up," Lucas said, glancing in the rearview mirror and giving his niece a smirk. "He's known about this trip since last week."

Sam's mouth dropped open in indignation. "Mitchell knew about the trip and I didn't?" she demanded. "Does he know where we're going?"

"Yes," Brooke said teasingly, giving Lucas a wink.

"And don't even think of texting and asking him," Lucas warned, getting a glimpse in the mirror of Sam pulling out her cellphone. "He has been warned that if he breathes a word about it, he's going to be running extra drills for the next two years."

"You suck," Sam grumbled, tossing her phone back into her purse.

"Oh, you'll know soon enough," Brooke said, reaching back and patting her on the knee. "You, my little girl, need to learn some patience."

"Come on, just tell me where we're going," Sam pleaded, banging her head against the headrest in frustration. "You dragged me out of bed at a completely indecent hour…you owe me something."

"No way, Sammi Girl," Lucas said good-naturedly. "You're going to be surprised and you're going to like it."

"Is it the beach? Are we going to the beach?"

"Sam, we live on the beach," Lucas chuckled. "We'd hardly waste money on airline tickets when we could drive there in five minutes."

"Is it a place we need a passport for?" Sam asked, refusing to be deterred.

Brooke looked back over the seat and raised her eyebrows at her daughter. "Samantha, do you have a passport?"

"No."

"Then it's probably a good guess that no, we're not going anywhere that you'll need a passport," Brooke said wryly.

"Oh," Sam said, blushing slightly. "Well, if you had let me get some more sleep, maybe I'd have better ideas," she pouted.

"We have forty-five minutes until we get to the airport," Brooke pointed out. "That's plenty of time for you to take a catnap and stop worrying about where we're going." Sam scowled at her mother, but found her heavy eyelids starting to droop against her will. Brooke smiled as the teen gave in and dropped her head down in slumber.

Once they arrived at the airport, Lucas went off in search of a luggage cart and Sam groggily dragged herself from the car. Meanwhile, Brooke hauled an enormous double stroller out of the car and proceeded to strap a still sleeping Chelsea and a bouncy Sawyer into it.

"Where'd you get that?" Sam asked in confusion. "Chelsea's too big for a stroller."

"You're probably right," Brooke said, tickling the baby's feet before she stood back up. "But from what I've heard, she's going to need it where we're going."

Lucas returned with a cart and Sam and the adults quickly stacked the luggage on top of it. The family headed into the airport and made their way to the ticket counter, which thankfully had no line. Sam was so tired she didn't think she could handle standing for long while various travelers haggled over baggage check prices.

"Here you go, Sammi Girl," Lucas said, handing the teen her ticket as they walked away from the counter.

"Orlando?" Sam asked, reading the ticket out loud. She racked her brain, trying to think of what was so special about Orlando. All of a sudden her eyes went wide and she stared at Brooke incredulously. "Dude, are we going to Dis….?!"

"Shhh…" Brooke said, smiling and placing a finger to her lips. "Not everyone here knows what's waiting in Orlando," she said, giving Chelsea a meaningful glance. The little girl had just started to wake up and was intrigued by the goings on of the airport.

Completely forgetting her exhaustion, Sam gave her mother a magnificent grin. "Thank you," she said happily, throwing her arms around Brooke's waist.

"Anything for you, Sweetheart," Brooke said softly returning the hug and giving her a kiss on the top of the head.

The security check went far more smoothly than it should have, considering they had a teenager who had never flown before, an increasingly energetic six year old, and a seven month old who was starting to learn her own mind. Before long, Brooke was strapping Chelsea in to the seat next to the window, while Sam settled in next to Lucas and Sawyer across the aisle.

"There you go, Princess," Lucas said softly, placing Sawyer's bottle into her anxious mouth. The tiny girl wrapped her little hands firmly around the bottle, something she had only learned to do a week prior. Lucas smiled and tickled her cheek as she hungrily sucked down the milk, but he was soon distracted by a shuddery breath next to him.

"You okay, Sammi Girl?" Lucas asked concernedly.

"Yeah, fine," Sam said through clenched teeth, gripping both of the armrests so tightly that her knuckles looked ready to pop out of her skin.

Lucas chuckled and placed a calming hand on one of her nervous ones. "You don't have to worry, Sam," he said reassuringly. "Planes are perfectly safe. You won't feel a thing when we take off, and we'll only be in the air for a couple of hours."

"Don't talk about being in the air," Sam snapped, squeezing her eyes shut and taking deep breaths. Lucas shook his head and continued to rub the back of the girl's hand, knowing that she would be fine once the plane was off the ground. He glanced across the aisle to see if Chelsea was experiencing similar anxiety, and had to bite back a laugh. The six year old was beyond fascinated with all the buttons she could push, and kept pressing her face to the window and demanding that the plane "go up high".

Two hours later, a very relieved Sam and a very excited Chelsea walked off the plane together, with Brooke, Lucas and Sawyer close behind them.

"I am so glad that's over," Sam said, clutching her carry-on bag as though it was tying her to the safety of the ground. "Did you feel how bumpy that landing was? That pilot must have been on something."

"Samantha!" Brooke laughed, bopping her on the shoulder. "The pilot was not on anything. Planes bump when they land, but we were perfectly safe. I had no idea you would be this freaked out by flying."

"Neither did I," Sam admitted. "But that was way freaky. Can we rent a car and drive back?"

"I'll think about it," Brooke promised, rolling her eyes over at Lucas.

"I wasn't afraid, Sissy," Chelsea boasted. "I wanna go back on the plane, Mama! Let's go flying again right now!"

"I think you're going to change your mind when you find out where we're going, Baby Girl," Brooke said, taking Chelsea by the hand and pointing outside to a large bus that had just pulled up. "Do you know who that is on the bus?"

"Mickey Mouse!" Chelsea said happily.

"Do you remember where Mickey lives? Lily told you, remember?"

"Yeah, she said…" Chelsea thought a minute, scrunching up her face. "Disney World! And Cinderella has a castle there, and all the princesses live there!" she added proudly.

Brooke knelt down and took Chelsea's hands in hers. "Guess what, Baby? We're going to Disney World right now."

Chelsea's eyes grew so wide they almost popped out of her head. "We're going to Cinderella's house?" she whispered reverently.

"That's right," Brooke said, tapping her forehead to her little girl's and smiling at her.

Chelsea abruptly whirled around and practically tackled Sam to the floor. "Sissy, we're going to Cinderella's house!" she shrieked, jumping up and down as she grasped Sam around the waist.

"I know, Midget," Sam laughed, picking her sister up and spinning her around once. "Aren't you going to say thank you to Mom and Uncle Lucas?"

"Thank you Mama!" Chelsea said happily, flinging herself back over towards Brooke. "Thank you Uncle Lucas!" she called over her shoulder.

"You're welcome, Princess," Lucas said, patting her head affectionately. "But there's plenty of time for thanks later. We've got to get on that Mickey bus before it leaves without us. Ladies, shall we?"

Chelsea jabbered excitedly the whole way to the Art of Animation resort, and announced to anyone that would listen that she was going to Cinderella's house-the bus driver, the luggage handlers, and the concierge. Sam was getting a little tired of it by the time they got off the bus, but she soon forgot her irritation once she saw the resort. It was huge and colorful and perfect.

"Wait until you see our room, girls," Brooke said, cuddling Chelsea close as they headed down the sidewalk. Lucas slid the key into their door and took a step back, allowing the ladies to enter first.

Chelsea gasped and ran headfirst into the center of the room. "Nemo!" she squealed, throwing her arms out and spinning around in circles. "Mama, it's Nemo! Sissy look! Nemo! And Dori!"

Nemo was indeed in the room. Brooke could have afforded a more prestigious resort, but when she saw that the Art of Animation offered Finding Nemo suites for six people, she couldn't resist. Chelsea loved Nemo, and with the way the little girl was reacting, Brooke knew she had made the right choice. The entire room was done in shades of blue, and the Nemo characters popped out everywhere, from the light fixtures to the bedding to the shower curtain.

"Look Chels," Lucas said, setting down Sawyer in her baby carrier and walking through the suite. "This is where Mama and Sawyer and I are going to sleep, and Sam's going to sleep on this pull out couch."

"What about me?" Chelsea demanded, jamming her little fists onto her hips.

"You get the best bed of all," Lucas said mischievously. Walking over to a seemingly innocuous cupboard, he pulled it out from the wall. Much to Chelsea's surprise, there was a bed on the other side of the cupboard, just her size.

"Wow!" she said, mesmerized.

"That is pretty cool," Sam admitted.

"Very cool," Brooke agreed. "But let's oogle the beds later. Right now I think we should get cleaned up and head over to the Magic Kingdom."

"Is that were Cinderella lives?" Chelsea wanted to know.

"It sure is, Baby Girl," Brooke said with a smile.

"YAY!"

Half an hour later, Sam was starting to wish they had brought a tranquilizer gun for Chelsea. The six year old had been talking a mile a minute ever since they had arrived at Disney World. But as excited as she was, nothing could have prepared anyone for the unholy shriek Chelsea gave when she saw Cinderella's castle on the horizon.

"MAMA! SISSY! UNCLE LUCAS! IT'S CINDERELLA'S HOUSE!"

"Chelsea, knock it off. People are staring," Sam ordered. But even the often surly teenager could not keep the wide grin off her face as the famous blue and white turrets came into view. Once the family was off the bus, Chelsea grabbed her sister's hand and yanked her across the sidewalk, desperate to get closer to the castle. Brooke jogged to keep up with them while Lucas followed more slowly with Sawyer and the stroller.

"Alright, girls, we need to lay down some ground rules," Brooke said, once they were all gathered at the entrance to the park. "Chelsea, whenever you aren't riding in the stroller, you have to hold onto Mama, Lucas or Sam's hand. Sam, you don't have to hold anyone's hand, but do not wander off by yourself. If you want to go somewhere, you ask permission first."

"Mom, I'm not ten," Sam scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I know not to wander away like an idiot."

"And I don't want to hear any backtalk or whining on this trip," Brooke said pointedly, giving Sam a gentle but meaningful look. "We're going to be here for nine days, and that will be more than enough time for everyone to do everything they want, probably more than once. But I expect you girls to at least try to be patient when waiting in line and not to fight or complain. If you're feeling tired or irritable, let Lucas or I know and we can go back to the resort for a little bit. If you let a bad mood get the better of you or you disobey us, you know the consequences."

"Don't forget the most important rule, Brooke," Lucas said seriously. The three Davis women turned to him expectantly, and he said with a grin, "Have fun."

Sam grinned at him as they headed up to the ticket stiles. "That I can definitely do," she said happily.

Even though they knew they had more than a week to explore, the Davis-Scott clan dove right into the Magic Kingdom and did as much as they possibly could. Chelsea almost had a small tantrum when Brooke told her that they weren't going to ride the Teacups twice in one day (Brooke's stomach couldn't handle it), but she immediately forgot her plight when she saw Pooh Bear and Tigger appear out of nowhere for a picture. Sam, for her part, instantly shed her cool attitude when she saw The Pirates of the Caribbean ride, and spent half the evening quoting lines from the movie as she led Brooke and Lucas from one ride to the next. Somehow, Brooke and Lucas managed to convince the girls to take a break and eat dinner, right before they headed back to Main Street USA to watch the parade and fireworks.

As the joyous sounds of the Wishes Fireworks Show began to play throughout the park, Lucas and Brooke gathered their girls close. Anyone watching never would have known that the infant sleeping peacefully in her stroller had lost her mother at birth. They wouldn't have known that the handsome man had buried his wife less than a year ago, or that the beautiful woman beside him had buried the best friend she ever had. They couldn't possibly have known that the little girl perched on the man's shoulders and the teenager enveloped in the woman's arms were victims of abuse and neglect. All anyone watching knew is that the five members of the makeshift Scott-Davis family looked happier than any other family in the park as the fireworks illuminated the night sky.

**So that was kind of a set-up chapter, but I thought it was pretty cute. And it was one of my longer ones since most of you guys have been so patient. Coming up next: Sam and Chelsea get into a bit of trouble at the Most Magical Place on Earth. As a former Disney employee, I can tell you that there are about a million ways that could happen, so the next chapter should be full of fun (for everyone except Sam and Chelsea, that is). I hope you guys enjoyed it! Let me know if you're still out there (politely please)! **


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